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:
A wealthy man was having a dilemma on what
would he do with his massive wealth. He was beginning to lose weight already
because he was always thinking of how he would take care of his wealth.
Finally, he decided to give it away by donating it to a charitable institution
that takes care of the welfare of the neglected elderly. After he gave away his
wealth he found Jesus, he found contentment and peace of mind.
What can our possessions/riches do to us? Would it
buy us food? Yes of course. Would it buy us health? Yes, to a certain extent it
would and It can also buy us material possessions. However, when we buy food
and eat it after a few hours we will be hungry again. After paying our bills in
the hospital that made us well we will get sick again, it will be a cycle until
we die. The material possession that we have? it will eventually leave us or we
will leave it.
In the gospel for this Sunday there is a rich man
who was so near yet so far from having eternal life and be a certified follower
of Jesus. Near because he followed all the commandments. However, he was also
far for the simple reason that he cannot let go of his riches. When Jesus told
him to sell his material possessions and give the proceeds to the poor. His
face fell and went away very sad for he had many possessions.
In the process of not giving up his riches he missed
having the eternal wealth that cannot be taken away from him. Wealth that he
can even take with him after his death; that eternal wealth is Jesus. The rich
man badly missed being a close follower of Jesus in favor of his wealth.
Wealth per see is not bad it can even be our ticket
to heaven if we give it to the poor. When we do that wealth becomes our
passport to be with Jesus in this world and beyond this world. Sadly, the rich
young man was not able to realize it that is why he walked away from Jesus.
Would you also walk away from Jesus in favor of your
wealth? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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