Jesus presents to his disciples two contrasting sets of characters; the scribes, who they should be careful not to follow, and the generous, poor widow whose selfless giving is worth imitating.    

The scribes were people who loved to show off their knowledge and their titles, and draw people’s attention; they devoured the widows’ and orphan’s goods (v.40) and made a show of long prayers (v.40). The Lord says they are hypocrites.  

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oday’s liturgy invites us to reflect on the proposals of blessedness from Jesus. They are the ones that the saints in heaven have put into practice and that the saints on earth, encouraged by their example, are encouraged to follow.

The gospel of blessedness is preached from the top of a mountain. More than a real place, the mountain refers to any place or time that we dispose ourselves to meet the Lord and accept his word.

On the occasion of the Passover, the Jews felt compelled to involve the disadvantaged in the joy of the feast. 

So beggars sat at the exit of the city of Jericho, where the road begins to climb toward Jerusalem, waiting for help from the well-disposed pilgrims.

Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem. In the verses immediately prior to today’s passage, the teacher, for the third time, announces his fate: he will be insulted, condemned to death, scourged and killed (vv.32-34).

In response we expect the disciples would attempt to dissuade him from travelling, suggest he stop for a moment, wait for better times. But we find none of this.

In the first part of the passage a rich young man enters the scene fast seeking advice to inherit eternal life. He is a just person and is conscious of having led a blameless life. Yet one feels that there is a deep concern in him that makes him suffer as if it were a spiritual infirmity. 

There are situations in which both spouses are wondering, with good reason, whether it is still worthwhile to insist on trying to fix a relationship gone bad and that is proving to be irremediably broken. 

They don’t love each other any more, there are character incompatibilities, annoyances, they speak only to offend and even the children are involved in the failure of the parents. 

Mark narrates, deliberately and provocatively, two episodes in the same chapter. 

In the first scene a man comes to Jesus and says, “Master, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit, deaf and mute. Whenever the spirit seizes him, it throws him down and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth and becomes stiff all over. I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they could not” (Mark 9:18). 

In the first part of today’s gospel, an announcement of the passion is introduced: “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him; but three days after he has been killed, he will rise” (Mark 9:31).