The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to assess the conditions we may have imposed on our love, mercy, compassion, and generosity as we implore the Spirit to guide our surrender to Jesus’ invitation to a full life.
The reading from the Book of Sirach is a Call to Repentance.
Psalm 32 praises the Joy of Forgiveness.
* [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). (Psalms, PSALM 32 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus discusses the path to eternal life with the Rich Man.
* [10:18] Why do you call me good?: Jesus repudiates the term “good” for himself and directs it to God, the source of all goodness who alone can grant the gift of eternal life; cf. Mt 19:16–17.
* [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.)
Tamora Whitney comments that the path to eternal life is still to treat others decently and fairly, to be charitable, caring, and compassionate. But in our contemporary culture that does not seem to be the idea of success.
Today greed and cruelty are normalized and encouraged. Compassion and charity are not only discouraged but made illegal. Someone today might not see this path as the means to success. And someone today might not even be legally able to treat others fairly or to be compassionate and charitable. And it is sad.
The goal has not changed, and the path has not changed. Treating each other respectfully and charitably is still the way to eternal life. Greed and cruelty does not lead to the Kingdom of God. But it is harder now to find and follow that path, or maybe even to recognize that it is the means to success. (Whitney, 2025)
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 Jesus, the Lord of creation, is entirely committed to us. His love does not rise and fall based on our choices. If we walk away sad one day, he will make sure that we have more chances to make a different choice. That’s because the call to follow him is not a one-time offer. It’s more like a standing invitation. So don’t look at these moments of decision as tests that we either pass or fail. Look at each one as a gift, another opportunity to build our relationship with the God who loves us perfectly.
Today’s Gospel ends with words of great encouragement from Jesus: “All things are possible for God” (Mark 10:27). That means it’s possible for him to heal your sorrow over poor choices in your past. It also means he will make it possible for you to choose him today and into the future. It’s never too late!
“Lord, help me to choose to follow you—gladly—every time!” (Meditation on Mark 10:17-27, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes that the Book of Sirach comes late in the history of Israel and presents Jewish wisdom as valuable as Greek wisdom. The afterlife in Sirach has no reward but is explained in the belief in Sheol. Friar Jude reminds us of Jesus' concern about wealth and security being obstacles, unknown to the anawim, that may divert our attention to “our own god” and away from Divine Grace.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Pixie Lighthorse, an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, who describes how grief can encourage us to change.
What new levels of grieving, feeling, healing, and awakening to deeper individual and collective purposes will be required to make the kinds of shifts you want to see in the world? What waters can you honor and protect as sacred? What kind of world do you want for all our grandchildren? What fears are held in your unconscious, underground river that may be holding you hostage? What items from the past are tied to unprocessed grief?…
When grief flows, the past heals. We inherit new transmissions of wisdom from sources already surrounding us. By honoring grief and healing, we re-member, and we put ourselves back together. We can make decisions about how to move forward from our core selves rather than our guarded hurts. The shape of us and our world is being reimagined in this process from a place that has a little bit more wholeness. When the past is offered healing, compassion, and forgiveness, the future will have good water to put our feet in. (Rohr, n.d.)
We seek the Wisdom of the Spirit to help us understand the changes in our attitudes towards peace and justice that may have been distorted by our material success and move us to action in response to Jesus' invitation to eternal life.
References
Mark, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/10?17
Meditation on Mark 10:17-27. (n.d.). The Word Among Us. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/03/03/1218216/
Psalms, PSALM 32 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/32?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Letting Grief Flow. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/letting-grief-flow/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Give - and You Will Have Treasure in Heaven. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=mar3
Sirach, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/sirach/17?20
Whitney, T. (2025, March 3). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/030325.html
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