GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 27TH FEBRUARY 2017
MONDAY OF THE EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
FIRST READING: Sirach 17:20-24
PSALM: Psalm 32:1-2, 5-7
GOSPEL: Mark 10:17-27
THEME: ETERNAL LIFE
A beggar sat at the entrance of a church building, holding a placard — “If you want eternal life, drop your money here and follow Jesus” — and yet flashy cars would drive pass him every Sunday and enter the church premises without giving him a dime. One day he mustered courage, stopped one of the cars and a thirty-second conversation ensued between him and a wealthy man:
Beggar: Is Mark 10:21 no longer being preached in the church?
Wealthy man: It is…but we have found a smarter way of entering paradise.
Beggar: How?
Wealthy man: Find out in Luke 23:42-43
The beggar hurriedly got a bible and found the text — “Then he [the thief] said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He answered him, ‘In truth I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’”
The response of the wealthy man in the above conversation is the unexpressed hope of many rich people. We often spend our lives amassing wealth and hope to cry out for salvation at the last hour of our death.
In our Gospel text, a rich young man ran and knelt before Jesus seeking eternal life. A portion of the text reads, “… And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’” (Mk. 10:21-23).
Francis Bacon, a famous sixteenth century English philosopher is quoted as saying, “ Riches are a good handmaid but the worst mistress.” To have wealth is not a problem but when wealth begins to have you, it is a big problem.
Life is full of choices – we can choose to follow Jesus and have heavenly treasures or live a life of chasing after fleeting pleasures that brings no eternal life. Since nobody knows when and how the last hour of our death would be, it is safe to embrace eternal life now.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, may I not delay my hour of salvation. I let go and take you as my all. Amen
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).