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Message from the desk of the Pastor:

THE TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Sunday, October 13, 2024

Gospel Reading 

MARK 10:17-30

A man with many possessions asks Jesus what he must do to gain eternal life.

Background on the Gospel Reading

Today we continue reading the Gospel of Mark from where we left off last Sunday. Last Sunday our Gospel told how Jesus was tested by the Pharisees about the requirements for divorce. Recall that these chapters come from the second part

of Mark’s Gospel, which chronicles the beginning of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.

In today’s Gospel, an unnamed man approaches Jesus and inquires about what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus replies that one must follow the commandments of the Law of Moses. The man acknowledges that he has observed all of these since his childhood. Jesus then says that only one thing is lacking: he must give his possessions to the poor and follow Jesus. The man leaves in sadness, and Mark  tells us that this is because he had many possessions.

The belief in resurrection and eternal life was a relatively recent development in Jewish thought at Jesus’ time, and it wasn’t shared by everyone. The Pharisees taught that there would be a resurrection from the dead; the Sadducees did not    share this belief. Jesus taught that there would be a final judgment for everyone    and eternal life (the Kingdom of God) for believers.

Jesus makes two requirements of the wealthy man who approaches him. First,        he must give up his possessions. Throughout history, some Christians have taken this literally. Their example witnesses to us a radical commitment to the Gospel        of Jesus. Some have read this as a particular requirement directed to this specific individual. Still others have sought to explain the meaning intended by the word possessions as those things that prevent one from following Jesus. Christians      have generally understood that at the least, following Jesus requires that believers hold material possessions loosely and remain vigilant against seeking security in accumulating possessions.

The second requirement Jesus makes of this man is the invitation that Jesus  extends to all would-be disciples: “follow me.” Jesus very much wants this man to    be his disciple. We believe that the Christian faith is one in which each believer is      in a personal relationship with Jesus. Just as this Gospel tells us that Jesus loves  the man and is sad when he departs, so too, Jesus loves us and is saddened when we are unable to follow him.

We see in this Gospel reading another example of Mark’s pattern, which shows  Jesus offering further elaboration about his message and meaning to his disciples. To his disciples, Jesus laments the challenges faced by those who are rich in following him and entering the Kingdom of God. In reply to the disciples’ astonishment at the strictness of the standard that Jesus speaks about today,    Jesus reminds his disciples that nothing is impossible with God. Salvation is determined by our ability to rely completely upon God.

Peter replies to Jesus by boasting that the disciples have already given up everything. Jesus acknowledges that those who have given up everything for the sake of the Gospel will be rewarded. This reward begins now, in the new community that one    will gain in this life, and will continue in the eternal age to come. Our personal relationship with Jesus is also an invitation to the community of faith, the Church.

Family Connection

Today’s Gospel might make us uncomfortable about our possessions. This discomfort offers us an opportunity to consider our possessions and our family’s commitment to the poor. Material possessions are a necessity in our culture. Our    use of these possessions and our attitude about their importance is our choice, however. It is a choice we can make with the awareness that our faith in Jesus commits us to show our care for the poor.

As you gather as a family, consider together these questions: Would it be possible    to inventory our possessions? Are there things in our house that we no longer need  or use? What might we do with these things? Read together today’s Gospel, Mark 10:17-30. Talk about the warning about material possessions that Jesus gives in   this Gospel. How does this make you feel? Choose an action that helps your family show its commitment to the poor. Conclude by praying together the Peace Prayer     of Saint Francis.