MONDAY MAY 27, 2024
MONDAY OF THE EIGHT WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
1 Peter 1:3-9
Mark 10:17-27
AT THE SERVICE OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS
It was mother Teresa now St. Teresa of Calcutta, who summarizes the message of today’s Gospel in her words. She says: “Do something beautiful for God.” Do it with your life. Do it every day. Do it in your own way. But do it!”
When mother Teresa talks about something beautiful, she means something practical, straight from the heart, something positive to impact and improve the lives of others and something gladdening to the soul and heart of the receiver.
And that is taken from the gospel of today. That a rich young man seek the eternal life but has a block of walls against it. This block of wall that is preventing this rich young man is his attachment to his possessions which he is unwilling to break down. Even when instructed or rather advised by Jesus who tell 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.” This brought this rich young man much sorrow and anguish that he went away sad.
Our riches and blessings are not meant purposely for us but for our service to humanity. The attractive and inviting attachment of material possessions can be dominating that we loose our minds and begin worship of these things.
Jesus is only instructing us on the need to rise above attachment to material possessions and to practice the virtue of poverty of the spirit by being ever ready and willing to give, to share, to use our talents, material possessions and spiritual endowments for the benefits of others.
Let it be our mantra as Christians that wealth, talents, gifts are to be shared and not to be owned, to be used for the benefit of others and not be hoarded or possessed for self aggrandizement.
Heavenly Father, convince our minds that our endowments are not our own. Help us to understand that our eternal salvation is built on how well we use the resources at our disposal while on this earth to serve our brothers and sisters. Give us generous, compassionate and loving heart to share and be of service to others. Bless all our children and make their generations better and more in line with your will through Christ our Lord
Fr Norbert Uchuno
