Sunday, October 11, 2015

Reflection for Sunday October 11, Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Mark 10:17-30

Gospel: Mark  10:17-30
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 human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God." Peter began to say to him, "We have given up everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come."
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Reflection:
There is a story of two neighbors, one was rich and the other was poor. The rich’s neighbor’s family was always busy and they hardly have time for God. The poor neighbor’s family would always see to it that they have time to worship Jesus at Holy Mass. They also have time to pray as a family in their house.

After fifteen (15) years there was a reversal of fortunes for these two neighbors. The rich family became poor and the children did not become successful. The poor family on the other hand became rich and the children were successful in their chosen careers.

Our obsession and greed with earthly treasures if not corrected will always lead us away from loving and following Jesus. This could also lead to our downfall and disgrace.

What is the use of earthly treasures if we have no peace of mind? What is the use of a big house and enormous property if this is the cause of disagreements and arguments in the family? What is the use of temporal wealth if it will take away communication in the family?

It’s better to be poor for as long as you have God in your family. It’s better to stay in a small house in the company of God rather than a mansion without the presence of God. It’s better not to own any material treasure for as long as you have the greatest treasure which is no other than Jesus.

In our gospel for this Sunday, there is this man who was at the threshold of following Jesus. Yet he walked away from Jesus because he couldn’t give up his material treasures. Material treasures which by the way are temporary and material treasures which always disturbs our minds instead of giving us peace of mind.

How about you, will you give up your temporal treasures in favor of having Jesus in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

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