Readings for Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Sir 17:20-24
The first part of this moral teaching from Sirach (in antiquity called “Wisdom of the Son of Sirach and in the Middle Ages Ecclesiastes or Ecclesiasticus) first deals with penitence. God always invites us back. All that is necessary is to love what God loves.
The second section asks for conversion or a return to God. Here the author says the dead cannot intercede for those who do not turn away from sin. We also hear how God’s mercy flows to those who do return from a sinful past.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7
R. Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.
Psalm 32 is an individual hymn of thanksgiving. In this selection we hear support of the reconciliation encouraged in Sirach.
Gospel Mk 10:17-27
The Gospel story from Mark is that of the rich young man who wishes to find eternal life. Clearly the young man depicted is of Pharisaic persuasion since he believes in concept of eternal life (Sadducees would not). The Lord asks the young man (symbolically, using the part of the Decalogue) if he has followed the Law of Moses. Following his affirmative response the Lord offers him the answer to his question.
The Lord then turns to his disciples and explains why the young man was unsuccessful and his answer is two fold – first the person’s wealth demanded allegiance before the Lord and second, God must provide the path.
Reflection:
As we begin our celebration of Ordinary Time (the term used is the Church term not as in common usage) we are offered a way home if we have fallen or have moved away from the Lord. There is a God billboard in our region of the country that says; “If you fell God is far away, who moved?” It fits today’s scripture.
In Sirach we are told that the path to God is open for those who have fallen into sin or have denied the Lord. The opening line is an invitation (that sounds like it came out of an Indiana Jones movie) “To the penitent God provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope and has chosen for them the lot of truth.” From the oldest times God has provided a way to return if we fail.
We are told that to return we must first want to return. Actually, if we think about it, that is the major hurdle we must cross. If we want something, say a new car or a pair of shoes, our behavior supports that desire. We save money for the car, we look into offerings by various dealers or stores. We do our homework so that we achieve what we want. The larger the item or the goal the longer it takes to achieve it and the more discipline in our behavior. We see how goals can come into conflict in the Gospel story. The rich young man wants exactly what we do and finds the barrier in himself. The Lord tells him to remove the things in his life more important to him than God, his material possessions, and he (the young man) cannot do it.
When Jesus turns to his disciples after the young man leaves, he explains that, to those who place their wealth first in their lives, the Kingdom of God is not attainable. Even if we find a way to achieve that perfect state of mind (it is very difficult) it is only through God’s mercy that we will achieve that heavenly place – thank God his mercy is endless.
Pax
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Sir 17:20-24
The first part of this moral teaching from Sirach (in antiquity called “Wisdom of the Son of Sirach and in the Middle Ages Ecclesiastes or Ecclesiasticus) first deals with penitence. God always invites us back. All that is necessary is to love what God loves.
The second section asks for conversion or a return to God. Here the author says the dead cannot intercede for those who do not turn away from sin. We also hear how God’s mercy flows to those who do return from a sinful past.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7
R. Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.
Psalm 32 is an individual hymn of thanksgiving. In this selection we hear support of the reconciliation encouraged in Sirach.
Gospel Mk 10:17-27
The Gospel story from Mark is that of the rich young man who wishes to find eternal life. Clearly the young man depicted is of Pharisaic persuasion since he believes in concept of eternal life (Sadducees would not). The Lord asks the young man (symbolically, using the part of the Decalogue) if he has followed the Law of Moses. Following his affirmative response the Lord offers him the answer to his question.
The Lord then turns to his disciples and explains why the young man was unsuccessful and his answer is two fold – first the person’s wealth demanded allegiance before the Lord and second, God must provide the path.
Reflection:
As we begin our celebration of Ordinary Time (the term used is the Church term not as in common usage) we are offered a way home if we have fallen or have moved away from the Lord. There is a God billboard in our region of the country that says; “If you fell God is far away, who moved?” It fits today’s scripture.
In Sirach we are told that the path to God is open for those who have fallen into sin or have denied the Lord. The opening line is an invitation (that sounds like it came out of an Indiana Jones movie) “To the penitent God provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope and has chosen for them the lot of truth.” From the oldest times God has provided a way to return if we fail.
We are told that to return we must first want to return. Actually, if we think about it, that is the major hurdle we must cross. If we want something, say a new car or a pair of shoes, our behavior supports that desire. We save money for the car, we look into offerings by various dealers or stores. We do our homework so that we achieve what we want. The larger the item or the goal the longer it takes to achieve it and the more discipline in our behavior. We see how goals can come into conflict in the Gospel story. The rich young man wants exactly what we do and finds the barrier in himself. The Lord tells him to remove the things in his life more important to him than God, his material possessions, and he (the young man) cannot do it.
When Jesus turns to his disciples after the young man leaves, he explains that, to those who place their wealth first in their lives, the Kingdom of God is not attainable. Even if we find a way to achieve that perfect state of mind (it is very difficult) it is only through God’s mercy that we will achieve that heavenly place – thank God his mercy is endless.
Pax
[1] After Links Expire
[2] The image presented today is “And he was sad at that saying” by Henry Le Jeune, 1860s
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