It is 30th May 2018. The readings are from 1 Peter 1:18-25; and the Gospel from Mark 10:32-45. We are redeemed and ransomed by the precious blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus himself through His one-time Sacrifice. The Saviour and Redeemer paid a price for our slavery to sin. The salvation we enjoy not comes through the exchange of materials things rather the intense love of God expressed in the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus offered His very self to offer a new way of life that ensures happiness and everlasting peace with God. On our part, we need to have faith, obedience and unaltered love shown to our fellow human being. Our genuine love for one another based on our faith in Jesus is the Good News for the humanity today. In the first reading, St. Peter teaches us that our faith in God comes through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross for all. “Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.” (1 Pet.1:21). It is through the sacrifice of Jesus, we are saved from the corruption of sin and nurtured daily. God expects from us all certain amount of sincerity and authenticity to prove that we are saved by His Only Son Jesus. We live in a world that loves sacrifice in a wrong way. In order to have money, popularity, wealth, material possession, positions in the society and the church, we are willing to sacrifice and annihilate the people for our selfish benefits. Let us not sacrifice the others for our benefits and happiness. Nothing in this world is permanent and offer contentment. God alone will be able to fill our hearts with His eternal and life-giving Word. The responsorial Psalm acclaims, “O praise the Lord, Jerusalem.” (Ps.147:12). The Gospel teaches us that our greatness comes from our service not in the status and position we hold. None of us love to suffer even for a noble cause. To accept suffering and some kind of inconvenience is possible only for those who lean on God and for those who are capable of loving the other. Selfless and self-giving love enriches the attitude of serving. Inherently, we all wish to control, supremacy over and to boss over people. “But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.” (Mk.10:43). Service makes us to realise the meaning and the goal of our existence. Our response to the call of Jesus must not be for the material gains of any kind rather to have a genuine love towards the others through a humble service. Only in humble service we begin resembling the image and the likeness of God. God falls in love with us when we begin to demonstrate our love for God in the unadvertised service to the humanity. May God grant us the courage to hold on to things that last and bring blessings to our lives. May we become little more service-oriented than sermon-oriented. May God bless you.