Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 419
Lectionary: 419
The word of the
LORD came to me:
Son of man, by a sudden blow
I am taking away from you the delight of your eyes,
but do not mourn or weep or shed any tears.
Groan in silence, make no lament for the dead,
bind on your turban, put your sandals on your feet,
do not cover your beard, and do not eat the customary bread.
That evening my wife died,
and the next morning I did as I had been commanded.
Then the people asked me, “Will you not tell us what all these things
that you are doing mean for us?”
I therefore spoke to the people that morning, saying to them:
Thus the word of the LORD came to me:
Say to the house of Israel:
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will now desecrate my sanctuary, the stronghold of your pride,
the delight of your eyes, the desire of your soul.
The sons and daughters you left behind shall fall by the sword.
Ezekiel shall be a sign for you:
all that he did you shall do when it happens.
Thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
You shall do as I have done,
not covering your beards nor eating the customary bread.
Your turbans shall remain on your heads, your sandals on your feet.
You shall not mourn or weep,
but you shall rot away because of your sins and groan one to another.
Son of man, by a sudden blow
I am taking away from you the delight of your eyes,
but do not mourn or weep or shed any tears.
Groan in silence, make no lament for the dead,
bind on your turban, put your sandals on your feet,
do not cover your beard, and do not eat the customary bread.
That evening my wife died,
and the next morning I did as I had been commanded.
Then the people asked me, “Will you not tell us what all these things
that you are doing mean for us?”
I therefore spoke to the people that morning, saying to them:
Thus the word of the LORD came to me:
Say to the house of Israel:
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will now desecrate my sanctuary, the stronghold of your pride,
the delight of your eyes, the desire of your soul.
The sons and daughters you left behind shall fall by the sword.
Ezekiel shall be a sign for you:
all that he did you shall do when it happens.
Thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
You shall do as I have done,
not covering your beards nor eating the customary bread.
Your turbans shall remain on your heads, your sandals on your feet.
You shall not mourn or weep,
but you shall rot away because of your sins and groan one to another.
Responsorial Psalm DT 32:18-19, 20-21
R. (see 18a) You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you.
You forgot the God who gave you birth.
When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathing
and anger toward his sons and daughters.
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“I will hide my face from them,” he said,
“and see what will then become of them.
What a fickle race they are,
sons with no loyalty in them!”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“Since they have provoked me with their ‘no-god’
and angered me with their vain idols,
I will provoke them with a ‘no-people’;
with a foolish nation I will anger them.”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you.
You forgot the God who gave you birth.
When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathing
and anger toward his sons and daughters.
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“I will hide my face from them,” he said,
“and see what will then become of them.
What a fickle race they are,
sons with no loyalty in them!”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“Since they have provoked me with their ‘no-god’
and angered me with their vain idols,
I will provoke them with a ‘no-people’;
with a foolish nation I will anger them.”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
Gospel MT 19:16-22
A young man
approached Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”
He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
He asked him, “Which ones?”
And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The young man said to him,
“All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.
“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”
He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
He asked him, “Which ones?”
And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The young man said to him,
“All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.
Meditation: "Give - and
you will have treasure in heaven"
Where can you find true peace, security, and happiness?
A young man who had the best the world could offer - wealth, position, and security - came to Jesus because he lacked one thing. He wanted the kind of lasting peace and happiness which money and possessions 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 wholeheartedly 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.
A young man who had the best the world could offer - wealth, position, and security - came to Jesus because he lacked one thing. He wanted the kind of lasting peace and happiness which money and possessions 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 wholeheartedly 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.
What do you treasure the most?
Why did he go away from Jesus with sadness rather than with joy? His treasure and his hope for happiness were misplaced. 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 possibly 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 (Matthew 13:44). Selling all that we have could mean many different things - our friends, our job, our style of life, what we do with our free time.
Why did he go away from Jesus with sadness rather than with joy? His treasure and his hope for happiness were misplaced. 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 possibly 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 (Matthew 13:44). Selling all that we have could mean many different things - our friends, our job, our style of life, what we do with our free time.
Possessiveness and fear robs us of joy and abundant life
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. Those who are generous towards God and others find that they cannot outmatch God in generosity. God blesses us with innumerable spiritual goods - such as long-lasting peace, unspeakable joy, enduring love, abiding relationships and friendship that do not fade or fail - that far outweigh the fleeting joys of material possessions which fail to satisfy us beyond the present moment. God alone can satisfy the deepest longing and desires of our heart. Are you willing to part with anything that might keep you from seeking true and everlasting joy with Jesus?
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. Those who are generous towards God and others find that they cannot outmatch God in generosity. God blesses us with innumerable spiritual goods - such as long-lasting peace, unspeakable joy, enduring love, abiding relationships and friendship that do not fade or fail - that far outweigh the fleeting joys of material possessions which fail to satisfy us beyond the present moment. God alone can satisfy the deepest longing and desires of our heart. Are you willing to part with anything that might keep you from seeking true and everlasting joy with Jesus?
"Lord Jesus, you alone can satisfy the deepest longing in
my heart. No other treasure can compare with you. Keep me free from all
discontentment, possessiveness, greed and selfishness, that I may have joy in
knowing that you alone are my true Treasure and my Portion."
 Money Changes Everything |
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August 18, 2014. Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
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Matthew 19:16-22
A young man approached Jesus and said, "Teacher, what
good must I do to gain eternal life?" He answered him, "Why do you
ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter
into life, keep the commandments." He asked him, "Which ones?"
And Jesus replied, "You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and
your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young
man said to him, "All of these I have observed. What do I still
lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what
you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then
come, follow me." When the young man heard this statement, he went away
sad, for he had many possessions.
Introductory Prayer: Dear Lord, I believe in you because you know what is best
for me and what I must do in order to reach heaven. I hope in you because you
have called me to detach myself from worldly things in order to possess you.
I love you because you are greater than any of the things you have created.
Petition: Lord, grant me spiritual detachment from material
things.
1. Are You Sure? Sometimes we ask for or desire something without really
considering the conditions necessary to obtain it. We understand that most
things cannot be obtained for free; nevertheless, in the spiritual life we
easily forget this. What the rich young man asks for is the most valuable,
the greatest possible achievement, but he thinks getting it will be easy.
Maybe he was accustomed to being able to buy whatever he wanted with money.
He probably didn’t even think that Christ might tell him to detach himself
from his possessions. The fact that we could want something, but not want to
do what is necessary to attain it, should raise a question: Do we really want
it?
2. A First Step to Eternity: Christ takes the young man’s question
seriously. He doesn’t want to waste the young man’s time allowing him to
think things are easier than they really are. Sadly, in today’s society
people are used to seeking what requires the least effort. This is not the
way of a true Christian. To get to heaven – and everybody should really want
to – one thing is totally necessary: “Keep the commandments.” That means to
avoid sin. God’s love for us precedes the commandments. When we love someone,
we do not treat that person in any old way, but rather in a way that reflects
the love we have for that person. So, we keep the commandments not just to
follow a moral code, but to show in a specific way our love for God. This
step is very important, but it is only a first step to heaven.
3. Not So Sure: The rich young man had no trouble with living the
commandments. Feeling confident, he asks for more, and Christ asks him to
leave his possessions. He wasn’t expecting this. He went away sad, because he
had many possessions. The problem is not having possessions, but that having
many possessions makes us more preoccupied with material things than with
“things of above,” as St. Paul would say (seeColossians 3:1). In the
Gospel, Jesus says, “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also” (Matthew
6:21).
Conversation with Christ: Dear Lord, help me to love you above
all things. I realize that I am attached to things that sometimes lead me to
forget you. And yet, I can’t avoid hearing in the depths of my soul your
words: “You cannot serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). Help me
understand that it is not worthwhile to have many things, but not have you.
Resolution: I will examine myself to see what commandments I am not
living fully and detach myself from some concrete thing that prevents me from
doing so.
By Father José LaBoy, LC
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MONDAY, AUGUST 18, MATTHEW 19:17-22
(Ezekiel 24:15-24; Psalm: Deuteronomy 32:18-19, 20, 21)
(Ezekiel 24:15-24; Psalm: Deuteronomy 32:18-19, 20, 21)
KEY VERSE: "Give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven" (v 21).
READING: On his journey toward his destiny in Jerusalem, Jesus' left Galilee and went south to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he cured many. A young man approached him and asked what he might do to inherit eternal life. The man was thinking in terms of keeping rules and regulations. So Jesus tried to correct his view. He told him not to look at his own virtues, but to look to God, the one who was truly good. Righteousness flows from a personal relationship with God, and is lived out by obeying the commandments, which reflect divine goodness. The man remarked that he had observed the entire law, yet still felt there was something more that he could do. Jesus told him that if he wished to be 'perfect' (In Greek, teleios, means 'reaching a goal'), he should share his wealth with the poor and commit himself totally to God's service. The young man went away sad because he was unable to relinquish his many possessions. Obeying God's commands is a step on the road to perfection, but following Jesus demands total commitment of one's life.
REFLECTING: Do I use my gifts for the sake of God's kingdom?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to let go of anything that stands in the way of following you.
You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
The young man went away sad.We don’t know what happened to the young man, but we do know that he walked away burdened by what he was asked to do. He was wealthy and he was asked to sell what he owned and give the proceeds to the poor. We all carry around with us lots of things. They might be physical things like possessions, or they might be emotive things like unrealistic expectations, attitudes, prejudices, sorrows, hurts. And these become the ‘treasured’ baggage of our lives. Today, Jesus says to us: ‘If you want to be free to be a follower of mine, then give all these things away!’ Is this happy or sad news for us?
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Be Joyful Daily
We know that we aren’t always going to be happy. Sadness, even tragedy,
is going to cross our paths more than once. But if we strive to be joyful on a
daily basis, we seem to develop reserves upon which we can draw.
August
18
St. Louis of Toulouse
(1274-1297)
St. Louis of Toulouse
(1274-1297)
When he died at the age of 23, Louis was already a Franciscan, a
bishop and a saint!
Louis’s
parents were Charles II of Naples and Sicily and Mary, daughter of the King of
Hungary. Louis was related to St. Louis IX on his father’s side and to
Elizabeth of Hungary on his mother’s side.
Louis
showed early signs of attachment to prayer and to the corporal works of mercy.
As a child he used to take food from the castle to feed the poor. When he was
14, Louis and two of his brothers were taken as hostages to the king of
Aragon’s court as part of a political deal involving Louis’s father. At the
court Louis was tutored by Franciscan friars under whom he made great progress
both in his studies and in the spiritual life. Like St. Francis he developed a
special love for those afflicted with leprosy.
While he
was still a hostage, Louis decided to renounce his royal title and become a
priest. When he was 20, he was allowed to leave the king of Aragon’s court. He
renounced his title in favor of his brother Robert and was ordained the next
year. Very shortly after, he was appointed bishop of Toulouse, but the pope
agreed to Louis’s request to become a Franciscan first.
The
Franciscan spirit pervaded Louis. "Jesus Christ is all my riches; he alone
is sufficient for me," Louis kept repeating. Even as a bishop he wore the
Franciscan habit and sometimes begged. He assigned a friar to offer him
correction — in public if necessary — and the friar did his job.
Louis’s
service to the Diocese of Toulouse was richly blessed. In no time he was
considered a saint. Louis set aside 75 percent of his income as bishop to feed
the poor and maintain churches. Each day he fed 25 poor people at his table.
Louis was
canonized in 1317 by Pope John XXII, one of his former teachers.
Comment:
When Cardinal Hugolino, the future Pope Gregory IX, suggested to Francis that some of the friars would make fine bishops, Francis protested that they might lose some of their humility and simplicity if appointed to those positions. Those two virtues are needed everywhere in the Church, and Louis shows us how they can be lived out by bishops.
When Cardinal Hugolino, the future Pope Gregory IX, suggested to Francis that some of the friars would make fine bishops, Francis protested that they might lose some of their humility and simplicity if appointed to those positions. Those two virtues are needed everywhere in the Church, and Louis shows us how they can be lived out by bishops.
Quote:
"All the faithful were edified by the fervor of his devout celebration of Mass, the efficacy of his deep humility, his tender compassion, his upright life, the harmonious congruity in all his actions, words and bearing. Who without wonderment could look upon a most charming young man, the son of so mighty a king, outstanding for his generosity, raised to such dignity, renowned for his influence, preeminent for humility, living a life of such mortification, endowed with such wisdom, clothed in so poor a habit yet renowned for the charm of his discourse and a shining example of upright life?" (contemporary biography).
"All the faithful were edified by the fervor of his devout celebration of Mass, the efficacy of his deep humility, his tender compassion, his upright life, the harmonious congruity in all his actions, words and bearing. Who without wonderment could look upon a most charming young man, the son of so mighty a king, outstanding for his generosity, raised to such dignity, renowned for his influence, preeminent for humility, living a life of such mortification, endowed with such wisdom, clothed in so poor a habit yet renowned for the charm of his discourse and a shining example of upright life?" (contemporary biography).
LECTIO DIVINA:
MATTHEW 19,16-22
Lectio:
Monday, August 18, 2014
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God our Father,
may we love you in all things and above all things
and reach the joy you have prepared for us
beyond all our imagining.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
may we love you in all things and above all things
and reach the joy you have prepared for us
beyond all our imagining.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 19,16-22
A man came to Jesus and asked, 'Master, what good deed must I do
to possess eternal life?' Jesus said to him, 'Why do you ask me about what is
good? There is one alone who is good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep
the commandments.' He said, 'Which ones?' Jesus replied, 'These: You shall not
kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give
false witness. Honour your father and your mother. You shall love your
neighbour as yourself.' The young man said to him, 'I have kept all these. What
more do I need to do?' Jesus said, 'If you wish to be perfect, go and sell your
possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in
heaven; then come, follow me.'
But when the young man heard these words he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.
But when the young man heard these words he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today speaks to us about a young man who asks Jesus
which is the way to eternal life. Jesus indicates to him the way of poverty.
The young man does not accept the proposal of Jesus because he is very rich. A
rich person is protected by the security of the riches which he possesses. He
has difficulty to open the hand of his security. Attached to the advantages of
his goods, he lives concerned to defend his own interests. A poor person does
not have this concern. But there are some poor people who have the mentality of
the rich. Many times, the desire for riches creates in them a great dependence
and renders the poor, slaves of consumerism, because they seek riches
everywhere. They no longer have time to dedicate themselves to the service of
neighbour.
• Matthew 19, 16-19: The commandments and eternal life. A person approaches Jesus and asks him: “Master, what good deed should I do to possess eternal life?” Some manuscripts say that it was a young man. Jesus responds abruptly: “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one alone who is good!” Then he responds to the question and says: “If you wish to enter into life keep the commandments”. The young rich man reacts and asks: “Which commandments?” Jesus very kindly enumerates the commandments which the young man already knew: “You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honour father and mother, love your neighbour as yourself”. The response of Jesus is very significant. The young man had asked what to do to obtain eternal life. He wanted to live close to God! But Jesus recalls only the commandments which refer to respect for the life close to others! He does not mention the first three commandments which define the relationship with God. According to Jesus, we will be well with God only if we are well with our neighbour. It is not worth it to deceive oneself. The door to reach God is our neighbour.
In Mark, the question of the young man is different: “Good Master what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answers: “Why do you call me good? No one is good, but God alone.” (Mk 10, 17-18). Jesus deviates the attention from himself toward God, because what is important is to do God’s will, to reveal the project of the Father.
• Matthew 19, 20: What does it serve to observe the commandments? The young man responds: “I have always observed all these things. What more do I need to do?” What follows is strange. The young man wanted to know the way which leads to eternal life. Now, the way of eternal life was and continues to be: to do God’s will, expressed in the commandments. In other words, the young man observed the commandments without knowing for what purpose. If he had known it he would not have asked the question. It is like for many Catholics who do not know why they are Catholics. “I was born a Catholic and this is why I am Catholic!” It is as if was a custom!
• Matthew 19, 21-22: The proposal of Jesus and the response of the young man. Jesus answers: “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven; then come follow me”. But on hearing these words the young man went away very sad because he was very rich. The observance of the commandments is only the first degree of a stairway that goes beyond, much farther and much higher. Jesus asks more! The observance of the commandments prepares the persons to be able to reach the point of giving oneself completely to the neighbour. Mark says that Jesus looked at the young man with love (Mk 10, 21). Jesus asks for very much, but he asks for it with much love. The young man did not accept the proposal of Jesus and goes away, “because he was very rich”.
• Jesus and the option for the poor. A two-fold slavery marked the situation of the people at the time of Jesus: the slavery of the politics of Herod, supported by the Roman Empire and maintained by a whole system which was well organized for exploitation and repression, and the slavery of the official religion, maintained by the religious authority of the time. For this reason the clan, the families, the community, were disintegrating and the majority of the people were excluded, marginalized, homeless, without either a religion or a society. So, for this reason, there were diverse movements which, like Jesus, tried to build up life in the communities: Essens, Pharisees and later on, the Zelots. But in the community of Jesus, there was something new which made it different from the other groups. There was the attitude concerning the poor and the excluded. The communities of the Pharisees lived separated. The word “Pharisee” meant “separated”. This was the attitude concerning the poor and the excluded. The communities of the Pharisees lived separated from the impure people. Some Pharisees considered the people, ignorant and damned (Jn 7, 49), in sin (Jn 9, 34). They could learn nothing from the people (Jn 9,34). On the contrary, Jesus and his community lived in the midst of persons who were excluded, considered impure; tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes, lepers (Ml 2, 16; 1, 41; Lk 7, 37). Jesus recognizes the richness and the values which the poor possess (Mt 11, 25-26; Lk 2 1, 1-4). He proclaims them blessed, because the Kingdom is theirs, of the poor (Lk 6, 20; Mt 5, 3). He defines his mission in this way: “To announce the Good News to the poor” (Lk 4, 18). He himself lives poorly. He possesses nothing for himself, not even a stone where to recline his head (Lk 9, 58). And to anyone who wants to follow him, who wants to live like him, he orders that he choose either God or money! (Mt 6, 24). He orders to choose the poor, as he proposed it to the rich young man! (Mk 10, 21). This different way of accepting the poor and of living with them is a sign of the Kingdom of God.
• Matthew 19, 16-19: The commandments and eternal life. A person approaches Jesus and asks him: “Master, what good deed should I do to possess eternal life?” Some manuscripts say that it was a young man. Jesus responds abruptly: “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one alone who is good!” Then he responds to the question and says: “If you wish to enter into life keep the commandments”. The young rich man reacts and asks: “Which commandments?” Jesus very kindly enumerates the commandments which the young man already knew: “You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honour father and mother, love your neighbour as yourself”. The response of Jesus is very significant. The young man had asked what to do to obtain eternal life. He wanted to live close to God! But Jesus recalls only the commandments which refer to respect for the life close to others! He does not mention the first three commandments which define the relationship with God. According to Jesus, we will be well with God only if we are well with our neighbour. It is not worth it to deceive oneself. The door to reach God is our neighbour.
In Mark, the question of the young man is different: “Good Master what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answers: “Why do you call me good? No one is good, but God alone.” (Mk 10, 17-18). Jesus deviates the attention from himself toward God, because what is important is to do God’s will, to reveal the project of the Father.
• Matthew 19, 20: What does it serve to observe the commandments? The young man responds: “I have always observed all these things. What more do I need to do?” What follows is strange. The young man wanted to know the way which leads to eternal life. Now, the way of eternal life was and continues to be: to do God’s will, expressed in the commandments. In other words, the young man observed the commandments without knowing for what purpose. If he had known it he would not have asked the question. It is like for many Catholics who do not know why they are Catholics. “I was born a Catholic and this is why I am Catholic!” It is as if was a custom!
• Matthew 19, 21-22: The proposal of Jesus and the response of the young man. Jesus answers: “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven; then come follow me”. But on hearing these words the young man went away very sad because he was very rich. The observance of the commandments is only the first degree of a stairway that goes beyond, much farther and much higher. Jesus asks more! The observance of the commandments prepares the persons to be able to reach the point of giving oneself completely to the neighbour. Mark says that Jesus looked at the young man with love (Mk 10, 21). Jesus asks for very much, but he asks for it with much love. The young man did not accept the proposal of Jesus and goes away, “because he was very rich”.
• Jesus and the option for the poor. A two-fold slavery marked the situation of the people at the time of Jesus: the slavery of the politics of Herod, supported by the Roman Empire and maintained by a whole system which was well organized for exploitation and repression, and the slavery of the official religion, maintained by the religious authority of the time. For this reason the clan, the families, the community, were disintegrating and the majority of the people were excluded, marginalized, homeless, without either a religion or a society. So, for this reason, there were diverse movements which, like Jesus, tried to build up life in the communities: Essens, Pharisees and later on, the Zelots. But in the community of Jesus, there was something new which made it different from the other groups. There was the attitude concerning the poor and the excluded. The communities of the Pharisees lived separated. The word “Pharisee” meant “separated”. This was the attitude concerning the poor and the excluded. The communities of the Pharisees lived separated from the impure people. Some Pharisees considered the people, ignorant and damned (Jn 7, 49), in sin (Jn 9, 34). They could learn nothing from the people (Jn 9,34). On the contrary, Jesus and his community lived in the midst of persons who were excluded, considered impure; tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes, lepers (Ml 2, 16; 1, 41; Lk 7, 37). Jesus recognizes the richness and the values which the poor possess (Mt 11, 25-26; Lk 2 1, 1-4). He proclaims them blessed, because the Kingdom is theirs, of the poor (Lk 6, 20; Mt 5, 3). He defines his mission in this way: “To announce the Good News to the poor” (Lk 4, 18). He himself lives poorly. He possesses nothing for himself, not even a stone where to recline his head (Lk 9, 58). And to anyone who wants to follow him, who wants to live like him, he orders that he choose either God or money! (Mt 6, 24). He orders to choose the poor, as he proposed it to the rich young man! (Mk 10, 21). This different way of accepting the poor and of living with them is a sign of the Kingdom of God.
4) Personal questions
• Can a person who lives concerned about his wealth or with
acquiring the goods which the propaganda of consumerism offers, free himself
from all this in order to follow Jesus and live in peace in a Christian
community? Is this possible? What do you think?
• What does it mean for us today: “Go, sell all you possess and give it to the poor?” Is it possible to do this concretely? Do you know anybody who has succeeded to do this for the Kingdom?
• What does it mean for us today: “Go, sell all you possess and give it to the poor?” Is it possible to do this concretely? Do you know anybody who has succeeded to do this for the Kingdom?
5) Concluding Prayer
Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice
as befits his name. (Ps 23,1-3)
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice
as befits his name. (Ps 23,1-3)
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