• HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
    • History
    • Dominican Spirituality
    • Life and Mission
    • Associates
      • Ireland
      • South Africa
      • Associates Stories
        • Mary Mc Crae
        • Niamh Smith
        • Janice Mc Garry
    • Dominican Saints
      • Saint Dominic
      • Thomas Aquinas
      • Saint Catherine
      • Fra Angelico
      • St. Agnes of Montepulciano
      • St. John Macias
      • A poem for Jubilee Year
    • Books
    • Child Safeguarding Policy
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Ecology
      • An Tairseach- Dominican Farm and Ecology Centre
      • 2022 – Programme of events
    • Justice
    • Education
      • Dominican Ethos in Schools
      • Secondary Schools ROI
      • Secondary Schools NI
      • Primary Schools
      • Special Schools
      • Third Level
      • Lumen Dominican Centre Sion Hill
        • Lumen Dominican Centre
    • Sacred Preaching Space
    • Ecumenism
    • Pastoral Care
    • Other Ministries
  • WHERE WE ARE
    • Ireland
    • North America – Louisiana
    • Latin America
    • South Africa
    • Portugal
      • Archives
  • VOCATIONS
    • Becoming a Dominican Sister
    • Vocation Stories
      • Sr Margaret MacCurtain OP
      • Sr Bridget O’Driscoll OP
      • Sr Francis Cosgrove OP
      • Sr. Aedris Coates OP
      • Sr. Margaret Kelly OP
      • Sr. Joan O’Donovan OP
      • Sr Sabine Schratz OP
      • Sr. Liz Smyth OP
      • Sr. Eileen O’Connell
      • Sr. Edel Murphy OP
      • Sr. Kathleen Fitzsimons OP
      • Sr. Rose McLarnon OP
      • Sr. Eileen McCarthy OP
  • SAFEGUARDING
    • Child Safeguarding Policy
    • Child Safeguarding Statement
    • Contact Details
  • TV
    • NEWS
      • ChurchTV
      • Photo Gallery
  • CONTACT
    • GDPR
    • Data Retention and Erasure Policy
    • Privacy Notice
    • Web Privacy Statement
    • User Agreement
    • Cookie Policy
facebook
twitter

Recent

17
OCT
2018

29th Sunday of Ordinary (21st Oct)

Posted By : Dominican Sisters, Cabra
Comments : Off

Reflection Mark 10:35 – 45

When I was 11 years old the family got a telephone for the first time. I remember hurrying home from school and there it was sitting in all its glory big, black, and shiny and it was beckoning to me. This was my first experience of liberation. We lived 10 miles from the city and I felt isolated. Now I could ring and make arrangements to meet up with friends. This joy was almost equaled the day many years later, when I bought a phone that I could put into my pocket and then an IPad that I could carry in my bag. The companies who sold these devices made a lot of money but I was happy to part with some of mine for the possibilities they afforded to me. However, in just a few years I was puzzled by what I saw. The pocket phones got bigger, the IPads got smaller and gone were the convenience they offered when I first bought them. A few weeks ago I heard that Apple was getting ready to release its latest merchandise and I wondered what they could possibly have in mind. Then I heard it – the IWatch is going to get bigger!  When are we going to get it?

This question came to mind when I read the Gospel for today 29th Sunday of the year Mark 10:35-45. The disciples are on the road to Jerusalem and Jesus is telling them what is going to happen,

‘The son of Man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and hand him over to the pagans, who will mock him and spit at him and scourge him and put him to death; and after three days he will rise again.’

Immediately after these deep, powerful and prophetic words, James and John ask Jesus if he will do them a favour. They ask for a cosy place in heaven.

‘Allow us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory’.

The picture this little scene evokes is of James and John filtering out the enormity of what is going to happen. They seem sure, almost in a light-headed way, that they are keeping the right company but have misunderstood the implications of the ministry of the one who has walked beside them. Jesus is about to enter Jerusalem and confront the ‘temple based aristocracy’. He will suffer and die in this confrontation before the emergence of New Life. He is rejecting the authority of the temple and replacing it with a new type of authority; one that rejects high places and favours for friends.

‘Anyone who wants to become great among you, must be your servant and anyone who wants to be first among you must be a slave to all.’

He asks them if they are ready for this.

‘Can you drink the cup that I must drink? They replied, “We can.’

This seems to have brought them back to earth for now anyway. James and John accept this challenge not understanding the consequences. Later when Jesus is arrested they will not be so sure. Mark tells us later

‘All of the disciples deserted him and fled.’

If we were to ask a favour of Jesus what would it be? I know of many people who would offer a heartfelt request much less self-serving that that of James and John.  yet receive a response that does not make sense. We really don’t get it. It might be good to call to mind the conclusion of a little girl in the States who was trying to figure it out.  She said, ‘Jesus is king of an upside-down kingdom.

She gets it!

Sr. Kathleen Fitzsimons OP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

Social Share

Reflections on the Irish Dominicans in Portugal

July 06, 2022

Sr Columbia OP - Reflection for a Nun's Life Ministry

April 01, 2021

Advent Calendar' - a poem by Dr Rowan Williams narrated by Sr Eileen O Connell OP

December 14, 2020
  • Posts
  • Categories
  • Tags
  • Celebrating Sr Macrina, RIP
  • Reception Day for Sr Anne
  • CODALC 2023
  • Book launch of “My Life in Brazil” by Sr. Padraigín McKenna OP
  • Visit from the Congregation Justice Office
  • New Congregation Justice Office
  • Launch of The Parish as Oasis, a new book by Kevin Hargaden SJ
  • Film Screening of ‘The Letter’
  • An Tairseach Calendar now on Sale
  • An Tairseach presents Advent Reflection Day with Arlene Flaherty OP
  • An Tairseach (32)
  • Dominican Associates (3)
  • Dominican News (266)
  • Education (75)
  • Events (89)
  • Good News (78)
  • Highlights (26)
  • Home Page Slider (18)
  • Ireland (80)
  • Justice (68)
  • Latin America (29)
  • Louisiana (17)
  • News (393)
  • Our Regions (8)
  • Poems (5)
  • Portugal (15)
  • Prayers (17)
  • Proclaiming (7)
  • Professions (4)
  • Reflections (12)
  • Rest Of The World (5)
  • Sacred Space (4)
  • South Africa (23)
  • Stories (21)
  • Uncategorized (298)
  • Vatican II- Remembering (7)
  • Vocations (14)
  • Women Preachers (12)
Dominican Women South Africa Reflection Vatican II Mission and Ministry God An Tairseach Baptism Art Chaplain Hello Logo Pauline Hospital Portugal Louisiana Ireland Mindfulness in Education Froebel College of Education The Woman at the Well Lay participation in Parish Life Compassion illness RIP Rest In Peace Mary Magdalen Spring

Twitter

  • RT @BA_McShane: Join me in conversation with Alan Hayes of @ArlenHouse on Saturday to pay tribute to the late, great Dr Margaret MacCurtain… over a year ago
  • RT @rogerchilds2u: @sinead_mccoole @UCC @DominicanSrsCab @UCDHistory @burnslibrary @ArlenHouse Thank you for such an elegant, touching and… over a year ago
  • RT @sinead_mccoole: Dr Margaret MacCurtain's life spanned 9 decades, 1000s of lives were enriched @UCC @DominicanSrsCab @UCDHistory @burnsl… over a year ago

Search Our Site

Recent Posts

  • Celebrating Sr Macrina, RIP
  • Reception Day for Sr Anne
  • CODALC 2023
  • Book launch of “My Life in Brazil” by Sr. Padraigín McKenna OP
  • Visit from the Congregation Justice Office

Dominican Links

  • Dominican Ecology Centre
  • Dominican Contemplative Nuns at the Monastery of St Catherine of Siena
  • Order of Preachers
  • Dominican Friars
  • AMRI
  • Lay Dominicans Ireland

Our Ministries

  • Dominican Ecology Centre
  • Contemplative Outreach
  • Dominican Sisters International
  • Irish Archives Resource

Contact Us

  1. Name *
    * Please enter your name
  2. Email *
    * Please enter a valid email address
  3. Message *
    * Please enter message
Copyright © 2020 Dominican Sisters Cabra. All Rights Reserved. Please click GDPR Information.
Web DesignbyOrbit Technologies