The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to consider the promise of New Life to the full in our acceptance of Jesus' call to service as we are freed from the distractions of our material culture.
The reading from the First Letter of Peter proclaims a Living Hope.
* [1:3–5] A prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God who bestows the gift of new life and hope in baptism (new birth, 1 Pt 1:3) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The new birth is a sign of an imperishable inheritance (1 Pt 1:4), of salvation that is still in the future (to be revealed in the final time, 1 Pt 1:5).
* [1:6–9] As the glory of Christ’s resurrection was preceded by his sufferings and death, the new life of faith that it bestows is to be subjected to many trials (1 Pt 1:6) while achieving its goal: the glory of the fullness of salvation (1 Pt 1:9) at the coming of Christ (1 Pt 1:7). (1 Peter, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 111 offers praise for God’s Wonderful Works.
* [Psalm 111] A Temple singer (Ps 111:1) tells how God is revealed in Israel’s history (Ps 111:2–10). The deeds reveal God’s very self, powerful, merciful, faithful. The poem is an acrostic, each verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. (Psalms, PSALM 111, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus receives the Rich Man.
* [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). (Mark, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)
Larry Hopp offers a prayer to overcome all those things in our lives that stand in the way of a constant focus on God.
Dear Heavenly Father, it is so easy to let the world distract us from a close, enduring relationship with you. We know your promises and the incredible inheritance that is ours through a relationship with you. Grant us your power to overcome the world, to surrender our heart and soul completely to you. To live for you and you alone. We thank and love you with all our heart. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen (Hopp, n.d.)
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) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 10:17-27 comments that this Gospel story probably doesn’t mean that the Lord is asking us to sell all we own, but he is asking us to give generously. He doesn’t want us to fall to the temptation of relying on our money and possessions for security and control.
Jesus has issued a bold call to his followers. He wants us to care for people in need. But he also wants us to realize that his call to be generous involves the surrender not just of our possessions but also of our self-sufficiency and our need to control. Today, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and give you the grace to trust that no matter how much it might pinch, he is going to take care of you.
“Lord, help me to be a generous and cheerful giver!” (Meditation on Mark 10:17-27, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the possible role of Silvanus, Peter’s secretary, in the excellent Greek language of the letter that proclaims our hope in salvation on the last day as an example of future eschatology like that expressed by Mark, Matthew, and Paul. Punishment of the faithful is presented as a purification and an opportunity to grow in trust in Providence. Friar Jude suggests that remembering Jesus' use of Jewish exaggeration may be appropriate in considering passing a camel through the “eye of a needle”.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes how we can grow in our love for God, others, and ourselves. Jesus never talked about attending services, although church can be a good container to begin with. Fr. Richard believes our inability to recognize and love God in what is right in front of us has allowed us to separate religion from our actual lives. There is Sunday morning, and then there is real life.
Most of us were given the impression that we had to be totally selfless, and when we couldn’t achieve that, many of us gave up altogether. One of John Duns Scotus’ most helpful teachings is that Christian morality at its best seeks “a harmony of goodness.” [1] We harmonize and balance necessary self-care with a constant expansion beyond ourselves to loving others. This is brilliant! It’s both simple and elegant, showing us how to love our neighbor as our self. Imagining and working toward this harmony keeps us from seeking impossible, private, and heroic ideals. Now the possibility of love is potentially right in front of us and always concrete. Love is no longer a theory or a heroic ideal. Love is seeking the good of as many as possible. (Rohr, n.d.)
We ponder our desire for harmony in our relationships and the wisdom that our focus on material wealth may distract us from action to deepen our love and support for our neighbours.
References
Hopp, L. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved May 27, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/052724.html
Mark, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 27, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/10?
Meditation on Mark 10:17-27. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 27, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/05/27/979505/
1 Peter, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 27, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1peter/1?3
Psalms, PSALM 111. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 27, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/111?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Commanded to Love. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved May 27, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/commanded-to-love/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Give - and You Will Have Treasure in Heaven. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved May 27, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=may27
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