The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today anticipate our Lenten journey with an invitation to consider the choices we make after examination of our relationship with God and others.
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| The Lenten journey is ahead |
The Book of Sirach presents an appeal for a return to God.
* [17:24–32] Ben Sira opens this poem with a prophetic summons to repent, urging sinners to give up their sins and to pray for forgiveness (vv. 24–26, 29). Ben Sira reflects the belief of his day that there was no life after death (vv. 27–28, 30; see note on 11:26–28). Cf. Ez 18:23, 30–32; 33:11–16. See note on Ps 6:6.
* [17:27–28] True life consists in praise of God; this is not possible in Sheol.1
Psalm 32 is an individual thanksgiving and the second of the seven Penitential Psalms.
* [Psalm 32] An individual thanksgiving and the second of the seven Penitential Psalms (cf. Ps 6). The opening declaration—the forgiven are blessed (Ps 32:1–2)—arises from the psalmist’s own experience. At one time the psalmist was stubborn and closed, a victim of sin’s power (Ps 32:3–4), and then became open to the forgiving God (Ps 32:5–7). Sin here, as often in the Bible, is not only the personal act of rebellion against God but also the consequences of that act—frustration and waning of vitality. Having been rescued, the psalmist can teach others the joys of justice and the folly of sin (Ps 32:8–11).2
In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus lovingly offers the rich young man an opportunity to grow in an attitude of surrender.
* [10:23–27] In the Old Testament wealth and material goods are considered a sign of God’s favor (Jb 1:10; Ps 128:1–2; Is 3:10). The words of Jesus in Mk 10:23–25 provoke astonishment among the disciples because of their apparent contradiction of the Old Testament concept (Mk 10:24, 26). Since wealth, power, and merit generate false security, Jesus rejects them utterly as a claim to enter the kingdom. Achievement of salvation is beyond human capability and depends solely on the goodness of God who offers it as a gift (Mk 10:27).3
Candice Tucci, OSF, shares that Lent may provide an opportunity to reflect on attitudes, behaviors, desires and hopes, but it also summons us to act in a “penitent way”.
It is a way to continue our quest, our journey in Christ, with humility of heart. It is also good to remember while traveling through our eye of the needle or passage in life, we are not alone. We live in a community of faith rooted in a relationship to God who lives in all people and creation. We walk with God who seems to need us and embraces us with all our shortcomings. In this time for pruning and new growth, God chooses us to bear fruit! Let us remember the words of Jesus: “…REMAIN IN MY LOVE…It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain….This I command you: love one another”. (John 15)4
Don Schwager quotes “Seek the life that endures,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"The Lord said to a certain young man, 'If you would enter life, keep the commandments' (Matthew 19:17; Mark 10:17; Luke 18:18). He did not say 'If you would have life' but 'If you would enter life,' defining that life as eternal life. Let us first consider then the love of this life. For this life is loved, whatever its quality; and however troubled it is, however wretched, people are afraid to end it. Hence we should see, we should consider, how much eternal life is to be loved, when this miserable life that must at some time be ended is so loved. Consider, brothers, how much that life is to be loved when it is a life you never end. You love this life, where you work so much, run, are busy, pant. In this busy life the obligations can scarcely be counted: sowing, plowing, working new land, sailing, grinding, cooking, weaving. And after all this hard work your life comes to an end. Look at what you suffer in this wretched life that you so love. And do you think that you will always live and never die? Temples, rocks, marbles, all reinforced by iron and lead, still fall. And a person thinks that he will never die? Learn therefore, brothers, to seek eternal life, when you will not endure these things but will reign with God forever." (excerpt from SERMON 84.1.9)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 10:17-27 asks “So what is Jesus doing?” He’s offering this man a chance to take the next step.
What might that next step be for you? The best way to find out is to ask the Holy Spirit to help you see it, and then keep your eyes open. It may be a simple act of service you can do for a friend. It may be a new, more patient and loving way to approach a challenging situation. It may be an unhealthy habit that you need to work toward overcoming.6
Friar Jude Winkler examines the exhortation to penance in the Wisdom of Sirach and the connection to Sheol of his words. The rabbis of Jesus time considered the rich to be blessed by God but Jesus points to the danger of an attitude of self sufficiency. Friar Jude shares the rabbinic teaching that our possessions are connected to the command to love God with our whole strength.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, expands on the Christ as the eternal amalgam of matter and spirit as one and our existence in the Body of Christ.
Only gradually does the truth become believable. Finally, the Body of Christ is not out there or over there; it’s in you—it’s here and now and everywhere. The goal is then to move beyond yourself and recognize that what’s true in you is true in all others too. This was supposed to spark a political and social revolution. But Christians wasted centuries arguing about whether it could even be true and how it might be true. The orthodox insistence on “Real Presence” is merely taking the Mystery of Incarnation to its natural, full, and very good conclusion. Here I am quite happy to be traditionally Catholic. “There is only Christ, he is everything, and he is in everything,” Paul shouts (see Colossians 3:11).7
Our journey to full life is connected to our openness to surrender all the obstacles that we choose to retain that are distracting us from the Way.
References
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(n.d.). Sirach chapter 17 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Retrieved March 4, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Sirach/17:20
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(n.d.). Psalms chapter 32. Retrieved March 4, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Psalms/32:1
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(n.d.). Mark, chapter 10. Retrieved March 4, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/mark/10:17
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(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved March 4, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
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(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 4, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
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(n.d.). Saint Casimir (Optional Memorial) - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved March 4, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/03/04
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(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive: March 2019 - Center for Action and .... Retrieved March 4, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/03
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