The Gospel according to 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 men it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”
Reflection: We all know that there are times in our life when finances become a priority only because we have to pay our bills to survive in this crazy world. This obligation can sometimes make it impossible to rely on our faith because of the fear of losing something vital. Such as our home, our car, our comfort zone. So, all we can concentrate on is how to pay your bills. The wealth that they are speaking about in today’s scripture is about having wealth in abundance and you seek more. Wealth is definitely a hindrance to following Jesus and that we should give more attention to God’s gift of trust and faith. I believe that this rich man in the Gospel already knew the answer to his question but maybe he was hoping that Jesus would give him a break.
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. In our society today, we treat the rich differently and they expect to be first before anyone else. But when things boil down to the truth, in the Kingdom of God, are they any different then you or me?
Life is not easy, and we must work hard for our personal growth and spiritual development (or should we say Spiritual Wealth). Jesus knows that possessions, wealth and comforts can tie us down. He knows that his compassion and His salvation make up for much human weakness. The question is do we?
Action of the Day:
What fears do you have in your life? How have you tried to get around these fears? How have you included Jesus and your faith in your life?
Audio Reflection:
