Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: May 27, 2024

Date:  Monday of the 8th Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text:  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."

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

 The gospel reading for today relates Jesus’ encounter with a rich young man who was seeking eternal life. The evangelist Mark shares Jesus’ response to the man who tells Him that he’d honored all the commandments since an early age; Jesus tells the young man to sell everything, give the proceeds to the poor, and then “come, follow me.” The man heard Jesus’ invitation, but departed in sadness, because “he had many possessions.” We get the impression that the young man didn’t or wouldn’t accept Jesus’ invitation.

Jesus tells his disciples afterwards that it is difficult for one who has wealth to enter the Kingdom of God. This surprises the disciples. If the wealthy and powerful can’t have access, who can? Jesus explains to them the purpose of his charge to the young man as well as the answer, acceptance of our reliance upon the LORD because we cannot buy salvation. Salvation comes to us not because of who we are or what we do but because of who the LORD is and what the LORD can do in us, with us and through us when we hand over the control.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Do I hold too tightly control over my life? Do I insist on being the one to decide how, when and what?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, Beloved Son, Most Holy Spirit, I come to You this day willing to stand before You as myself, unworthy of life in You yet seeking what only You can give to me. I come realizing that life in You, with You and through You is not something I can earn but rather your gift which I must humbly accept. Grant that I may put down those things that will not last so that I may embrace love for You with all my being. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.