Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 347
Lectionary: 347
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you
who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith,
to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.
In this you rejoice, although now for a little while
you may have to suffer through various trials,
so that the genuineness of your faith,
more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire,
may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Although you have not seen him you love him;
even though you do not see him now yet you believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
as you attain the goal of faith, the salvation of your souls.
who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you
who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith,
to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.
In this you rejoice, although now for a little while
you may have to suffer through various trials,
so that the genuineness of your faith,
more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire,
may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Although you have not seen him you love him;
even though you do not see him now yet you believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
as you attain the goal of faith, the salvation of your souls.
Responsorial Psalm PS 111:1-2, 5-6, 9 AND 10C
R. (5) The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
His praise endures forever.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
His praise endures forever.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel MK
10:17-27
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement, his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
“How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
“Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For men it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement, his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
“How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
“Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For men it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”
Meditation: "Give to the poor, and you will have treasure in
heaven"
What gives hope and satisfaction to our desire for happiness and
security? A young man who had the best the world could offer – wealth and
security – came to Jesus because he lacked one thing. He wanted the kind of
lasting peace and happiness which money could not buy him. The answer he got,
however, was not what he was looking for. He protested that he kept all the
commandments; but Jesus spoke to the trouble in his heart. One thing kept him
from giving himself whole-heartedly to God. While he lacked nothing in material
goods, he was nonetheless possessive of what he had. He placed his hope and
security in what he possessed. So when Jesus challenged him to make God his one
true possession and treasure, he became dismayed. Why did he go away from Jesus
with sadness rather than with joy? His treasure and his hope for happiness were
misplaced. Jesus challenged the young man because his heart was possessive. He
was afraid to give to others for fear that he would lose what he had gained. He
sought happiness and security in what he possessed rather than in who he could
love and serve and give himself in undivided devotion.
Why does Jesus tell his disciples to "sell all" for
the treasure of his kingdom? Treasure has a special connection
to the heart, the place of desire and longing, the place of will and focus. The
thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure. The Lord himself is the
greatest treasure we can have. Giving up everything else to have the Lord as
our treasure is not sorrowful, but the greatest joy. [See Jesus' parable about
the treasure hidden in a field in Matthew 13:44.] Selling all that
we have could mean many different things – letting go of attachments,
friendships, influences, jobs, entertainments, styles of life – really anything
that might stand in the way of our loving God first and foremost in our lives
and giving him the best we can with our time, resources, gifts, and service.
Those who are generous towards God and towards their neighbor
find that they cannot outgive God in his generosity towards us. God blesses us
with the priceless treasures of his kingdom – freedom from fear and the griping
power of sin, selfishness and pride which block his love and grace in our
lives; freedom from loneliness, isolation and rejection which keep his children
from living together in love, peace, and unity; and freedom from hopelessness,
despair, and disillusionment which blind our vision of God's power to heal
every hurt, bind every wound, and remove every blemish which mar the image of
God within us. God offers us treasure which money cannot buy. He alone can
truly satisfy the deepest longing and desires of our heart. Are you willing to
part with anything that might keep you from seeking true joy with Jesus?
Why does Jesus issue such a strong warning to the rich (as well
as to the rest of us who desire to be rich)? Was he really against wealth? We
know that Jesus was not opposed to wealth per se, nor was he opposed to the
wealthy. He had many friends who were well-to-do, including some notorious tax
collectors! One even became an apostle! Jesus' warning reiterated the teaching
of the Old Testament wisdom: Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
than a rich man who is perverse in his ways (Proverbs 28:6; see also
Psalm 37:16). Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to
desist (Proverbs 23:4). Jesus seems to say that it is nearly
impossible for the rich to live as citizens of God's kingdom. The camel was
regarded as the largest animal in Palestine. The "eye of the needle"
could be interpreted quite literally or it could figuratively describe the
narow and low gate of the city walls which was used by travellers when the
larger public gate was locked after dark. A normal sized man had to
"lower" himself to enter that gate. A camel would literally have to
knell and crawl through it. Why is Jesus so cautious about wealth? Wealth
can make us falsely independent. The church at Laodicea was warned about their
attitude towards wealth and a false sense of security: "For you say, I am
rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing" (Revelations 3:17). Wealth can
also lead us into hurtful desires and selfishness (see 1 Timothy 6:9-10). Look
at the lesson Jesus gave about the rich man and his sons who refused to aid the
poor man Lazarus (see Luke 16:19ff). They also neglected to serve God. The
scriptures give us a paradox: we lose what we keep and we gain what we give
away. Generosity will be amply repaid, both in this life and in eternity
(Proverbs 3:9-10, Luke 6:38). Jesus offers us an incomparable treasure which no
money can buy and no thief can steal. The thing we most set our heart on is our
highest treasure. Material wealth will shackle us to this earth unless we guard
our hearts and set our treasure on God and his everlasting kingdom. Where is
your treasure?
"Lord Jesus, you have captured our hearts and opened to us
the treasures of heaven. May you always be my treasure and delight and may nothing
else keep me from giving you my all."
 The Price Is Right and the Choice Is Yours |
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Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
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Mark 10: 17-27
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt
down before him, and asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit
eternal life?" Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? No one
is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you
shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false
witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother." He
replied and said to him, "Teacher, all of these I have observed from my
youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "You are
lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you
will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." At that statement
his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus
looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who
have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at
his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, "Children, how hard it
is to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the
eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, "Then who
can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For human beings it
is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God."
Introductory Prayer: Once
again, Lord, I come to you to pray. Even though I cannot see you, I trust
that you are present and want very much to instruct me in your teachings. In
the same way you demonstrate your love for me by spending this time with me,
I want to express my love for you by dedicating this time to you with a
spirit of faith, confidence and attention. Here I am, Lord, to listen to you
and respond with love.
Petition: Lord,
help me to be detached from the goods of this world so I can follow you more
closely.
1. God Is Good: The rich
young man recognized Christ’s goodness. He kneels down before him knowing
that Jesus possesses something that he does not have. What is it? The spirit
of unconditional love. Christ leads us out of ourselves and asks us to trust
him more. And so, Pope Emeritus Benedict encourages us, “I say to you, dear
young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives
you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in
return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true
life” (Homily, April 24, 2005).
2. Looking at the Good Side of Things: It is
easy to dwell on the cost of something. The young man’s face falls because he
looks more at the cost than at the reward. The price is something that he
would feel now, while the reward is something that will come later. How often
in life do we experience this truth! The world we live in seeks instant
gratification without wanting to pay the price. Rather than concentrating on
the cost, we should focus on the benefits promised by God. We will discover
that the cost is small and the benefits last forever. Do I have spiritual
endurance? Am I am able to wait for the Lord and patiently invest in eternal
goods now?
3. Detachment: Saint
Paul tells us that nothing can outweigh the knowledge of Christ Jesus. But in
this man’s case, he had allowed something else to outweigh Christ. Comfort,
security and material things beat the invitation of Christ to be perfect. Attachments
lead to sadness; there is no room for God in a heart that is already full of
the things of this world. Only detachment leads to true joy. God gives
himself to the one who seeks him without any strings attached.
Conversation with Christ: Lord
Jesus, help me to live a life of freedom. Help me to recognize your goodness.
May my faith always see the good side of things, seeing all in my life as an
opportunity to love you. I want to be attached to you and detached completely
from my sinfulness.
Resolution: I will
pick one thing that I can detach myself from today.
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MONDAY, MARCH 3, MARK
10:17-27
(1 Peter 1:3-9; Psalm 111)
(1 Peter 1:3-9; Psalm 111)
KEY VERSE: "Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven" (v 21).
READING: A rich man approached Jesus and asked him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him that the answer to his question could be found in the Law of Moses, which was a reflection of God's righteousness. When the man said that he had kept the law all of his life, Jesus invited him to take another step on his spiritual journey. By sharing his wealth with the poor, the man would be rewarded with even greater treasures in heaven. But the rich man was unable to part with his possessions, and he walked away saddened. Jesus warned his disciples that wealth could be an obstacle to the kingdom of God. He used the image of a heavily laden camel trying to squeeze through the city gates to show that his followers should not be so weighed down with material goods that they would be unable to pass through heaven's gate.
REFLECTING: What does my parish do to help the poor? What do I do?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous with the gifts you have given to me.
Optional Memorial of Katharine Drexel
Katharine Drexel was the daughter of a wealthy railroad entrepreneur and philanthropist. She was taught from an early age to use her wealth for the benefit of others. Interested in the condition of Native Americans, she asked Pope Leo XIII to send more missionaries to Wyoming for her friend, Bishop James O'Connor. The pope replied, "Why don't you become a missionary?" Katharine visited the Dakotas, met the Sioux chief, and spent millions of the family fortunes to aid Indian missions. She entered the novitiate of the Sisters of Mercy, and founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored, now known simply as the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. By 1942 she had a system of Catholic schools for African Americans in 13 states, 40 mission centers, 23 rural schools, 50 Indian missions, and Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, the first United States university for blacks. Following a heart attack, she spent her last twenty years in prayer and meditation. The Shrine of Saint Katharine is located at the motherhouse of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Bensalem, Pennsylvania, USA
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Accepting Others
Father, help me to be gentle and humble like Jesus and always see
the good in everyone, accept people where they are at, and try not to make them
over into what I feel comfortable with. I know you have to be patient with me;
help me share the same patience with others.
The Lord will remember his covenant for ever
‘For God, all things are possible.’No matter how hard we try to be good Christians there is always something that reminds us of our limitations and disordered attachments. The young rich man’s problem is not that he is rich but that he is attached to his possessions and is convinced that simply by following all the commandments he can save himself. The focus of his energy is on the wrong place. Rather than trust in God’s ability to save him, he is determined to do it on his own. In pointing out his attachment to his riches, Jesus highlights the impossibility of saving one’s self without the grace of God. Such thinking underlies a number of heresies that deny the role of grace as the key in freeing us from what impedes our relationship with God. While we must never give up trying to free ourselves from disordered attachments, we must not forget that God is always offering the grace to bring his good work in us to fulfilment.
March
3
St. Katharine Drexel
(1858-1955)
St. Katharine Drexel
(1858-1955)
If your father is an international banker and you ride in a private
railroad car, you are not likely to be drawn into a life of voluntary poverty.
But if your mother opens your home to the poor three days each week and your
father spends half an hour each evening in prayer, it is not impossible that
you will devote your life to the poor and give away millions of dollars.
Katharine Drexel did that.
She was
born in Philadelphia in 1858. She had an excellent education and traveled
widely. As a rich girl, she had a grand debut into society. But when she nursed
her stepmother through a three-year terminal illness, she saw that all the
Drexel money could not buy safety from pain or death, and her life took a
profound turn.
She had
always been interested in the plight of the Indians, having been appalled by
what she read in Helen Hunt Jackson’s A Century of Dishonor.
While on a European tour, she met Pope Leo XIII and asked him to send more
missionaries to Wyoming for her friend Bishop James O’Connor. The pope replied,
“Why don’t you become a missionary?” His answer shocked her into considering
new possibilities.
Back
home, Katharine visited the Dakotas, met the Sioux leader Red Cloud and
began her systematic aid to Indian missions.
She could
easily have married. But after much discussion with Bishop O’Connor, she wrote
in 1889, “The feast of St. Joseph brought me the grace to give the remainder of
my life to the Indians and the Colored.” Newspaper headlines screamed “Gives Up
Seven Million!”
After
three and a half years of training, she and her first band of nuns (Sisters of
the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored) opened a boarding school in
Santa Fe. A string of foundations followed. By 1942 she had a system of black
Catholic schools in 13 states, plus 40 mission centers and 23 rural schools.
Segregationists harassed her work, even burning a school in Pennsylvania. In
all, she established 50 missions for Indians in 16 states.
Two
saints met when Katharine was advised by Mother Cabrini about the
“politics” of getting her Order’s Rule approved in Rome. Her crowning
achievement was the founding of Xavier University in New Orleans, the first
Catholic university in the United States for African Americans.
At 77,
she suffered a heart attack and was forced to retire. Apparently her life was
over. But now came almost 20 years of quiet, intense prayer from a small room
overlooking the sanctuary. Small notebooks and slips of paper record her
various prayers, ceaseless aspirations and meditation. She died at 96 and was
canonized in 2000.
Comment:
Saints have always said the same thing: Pray, be humble, accept the cross, love and forgive. But it is good to hear these things in the American idiom from one who, for instance, had her ears pierced as a teenager, who resolved to have “no cake, no preserves,” who wore a watch, was interviewed by the press, traveled by train and could concern herself with the proper size of pipe for a new mission. These are obvious reminders that holiness can be lived in today’s culture as well as in that of Jerusalem or Rome.
Saints have always said the same thing: Pray, be humble, accept the cross, love and forgive. But it is good to hear these things in the American idiom from one who, for instance, had her ears pierced as a teenager, who resolved to have “no cake, no preserves,” who wore a watch, was interviewed by the press, traveled by train and could concern herself with the proper size of pipe for a new mission. These are obvious reminders that holiness can be lived in today’s culture as well as in that of Jerusalem or Rome.
Quote:
“The patient and humble endurance of the cross—whatever nature it may be—is the highest work we have to do.” “Oh, how far I am at 84 years of age from being an image of Jesus in his sacred life on earth!” (St. Katharine Drexel)
“The patient and humble endurance of the cross—whatever nature it may be—is the highest work we have to do.” “Oh, how far I am at 84 years of age from being an image of Jesus in his sacred life on earth!” (St. Katharine Drexel)
LECTIO DIVINA:
MARK 10,17-27
Lectio:
Monday, March 3, 2014
Ordinary Time
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Lord,
guide the course of world events
and give your Church the joy and peace
of serving you in freedom.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
guide the course of world events
and give your Church the joy and peace
of serving you in freedom.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2)
GOSPEL READING - MARK 10,17-27
Jesus was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt
before him and put this question to him, 'Good master, what must I do to
inherit eternal life?' Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is
good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; You shall
not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false witness; You
shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.'
And he said to him, 'Master, I have kept all these since my
earliest days.' Jesus looked steadily at him and he was filled with love for
him, and he said, 'You need to do one thing more. Go and sell what you own and
give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come,
follow me.' But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a
man of great wealth.
Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, 'How hard it is
for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!' The disciples were
astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, 'My children,' he said to them,
'how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass
through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the kingdom of God.'
They were more astonished than ever, saying to one another, 'In
that case, who can be saved?' Jesus gazed at them and said, 'By human resources
it is impossible, but not for God: because for God everything is possible.'
3)
REFLECTION
• The Gospel today narrates two events: (a) it tells the story
of a rich man who asks how to obtain eternal life (Mk 10, 17-22), and (b) Jesus
warns on the danger of riches (Mk 10, 23-27). The rich man does not accept the
proposal of Jesus, because he was very rich. A rich person is protected by the
security which is given to him by his riches. He has difficulty to open his
hand and detach himself from this security. He seizes strongly the advantage of
his goods, lives concerned defending his own interests. A poor person is not accustomed
to have this concern. But there may also be some poor people who have the
mentality of the rich. And then, the desire for riches creates in them
dependence and also makes them become slaves of consumerism. They have no time
to dedicate themselves to the service of neighbour. Keeping these problems in
mind, problems of persons, of countries, let us read and meditate on the text
of the rich man.
• Mark 10, 17-19: The observance of the commandments and
eternal life. A person came up to Jesus and asked: “Good Master,
what must I do to inherit eternal life?” The Gospel of Matthew tells
us that it was the case of a young man (Mt 19, 20.22). Jesus
responds abruptly: “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone!” Jesus
takes away the attention from himself to direct it toward God, because what is
important is to do God’s Will, to reveal the Father’s project. Then Jesus
affirms: “You know the commandments: You shall not kill. You shall not
commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false witness. You
shall not defraud. Honour your father and mother”. It is important to
observe always the response of Jesus. The young man had asked something
concerning eternal life. He wanted to live together with God. But
Jesus does not mention the first three commandments which define our
relationship with God! He mentioned only those which indicate respect for the life
lived together with others. According to Jesus, we can only be well
with God if we know how to be well with our neighbour. It serves nothing to
deceive ourselves. The door to reach God is our neighbour.
• Mark 10, 20: What good is it to observe the
commandments? The young man answered that he observed the commandments
since his earliest days. What is strange is what follows. He wanted to know
which was the way to eternal life.Now, the way of life was
and continues to be: to do God’s will expressed in thecommandments. It
means that he observed the commandments without knowing for what purpose.
Otherwise, he would not have asked any questions. This is what happens today to
many Catholics: they do not know what it means to be a Catholic. “I was born in
a Catholic country; this is why I am Catholic!” It is a habit!
• Mark 10, 21-22: To share the goods with the poor and to follow
Jesus. Hearing the response of the young man, “Jesus looked at him and was full
of love for him and said: You need to do one more thing: go and sell what you
own and give the money to the poor and you will have a treasure in heaven, then
come, follow me!” The observance of the commandments is only the first step of
a stairway that goes higher. Jesus asks more! The observance of the
commandments prepares the person for the total gift of self in behalf of
neighbour. Jesus asks for very much but he asks it with much love. The rich
young man does not accept the proposal of Jesus and goes away, because he was a
man of great wealth”.
• Mark 10, 23-27: The camel and the eye of the needle. After
the young man left, Jesus commented on his decision: “How hard it is
for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples
were astounded. Jesus repeats the same phrase and adds: “It is easier that a
camel passes through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the
kingdom of God!”
The expression “enter the kingdom” not only indicates and in
first place entrance into heaven after death, but also and above all, the
entrance into the community around Jesus. The community is and should be a
model of the Kingdom. The reference to the impossibility for a camel to
pass through the eye of a needlecomes from a popular proverb of the time
used by the people to say that a thing was humanly speaking, impossible and
unfeasible. The disciples were astounded hearing the affirmation of Jesus and
they ask themselves: “Then who can be saved?” This is a sign that
they had not understood the response of Jesus to the young rich man: “Go,
sell all you all you own and give the money to the poor and then come follow
me”. The young man had observed the commandments since his earliest
days, but without understanding the reason for this observance. Something
similar was happening to the disciples. They had already abandoned all their
goods as Jesus had asked the young rich man, but without understanding the
reason, the why of this abandonment. If they had understood they would not have
been astounded before the demands of Jesus. When riches or the desire for
riches occupies the heart and the gaze, the person cannot perceive the sense of
the Gospel. Only God can help! Jesus looks at the disciples and says: “Impossible
for man but not for God. For God everything is possible.”
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• A person who lives constantly concerned about her wealth or
who lives always wanting to buy all the things about which the television makes
propaganda, can she free herself from everything to follow Jesus and live in
peace in a Christian community? Is it possible? What do you think? How do you
do it and what do you do?
• Do you know somebody who has succeeded to abandon everything
for the sake of the Kingdom? What does it mean for us today: “Go, sell all you
own, and give the money to the poor”? How can we understand and practice today
the counsels that Jesus gives to the young rich man?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
I give thanks to Yahweh with all my heart,
in the meeting-place of honest people, in the assembly.
Great are the deeds of Yahweh,
to be pondered by all who delight in them. (Ps 111,1-2)
in the meeting-place of honest people, in the assembly.
Great are the deeds of Yahweh,
to be pondered by all who delight in them. (Ps 111,1-2)
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