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The evil of riches, then, for institutions, for nations, for individuals, is that those who possess or seek to possess almost invariably overvalue possessions and so cease to live creatively. They stop loving God with all the heart and all the soul and all the strength and all the mind. They stop loving their neighbors, too. When you find a person of means who is not either a self-centered bore or a low
creature, you may know that God has worked a miracle.
- Bernard Iddings Bell (1886-1958), God is Not Dead
(What attachments prevent you from loving fully? How might you let them go to become more fully open to trusting in God?)
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1 Kgs 10:1-10; Psalm 37:5-6, 30-31, 39-40
Mk 7:14-23
Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them,
“Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile.”
When he got home away from the crowd
his disciples questioned him about the parable.
He said to them,
“Are even you likewise without understanding?
Do you not realize that everything
that goes into a person from outside cannot defile,
since it enters not the heart but the stomach
and passes out into the latrine?”
(Thus he declared all foods clean.)
“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.
From within the man, from his heart,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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“When the queen of Sheba witnessed Solomon’s great wisdom, the palace he had built, the food at his table, the seating of his ministers, the attendance and garb of his waiters, his banquet service, and the holocausts he offered in the temple of the Lord, she was breathless.” —1 Kings 10:4-5
Christians are the wealthiest people in the world (see Eph 1:18). Yet what does that mean? Some Christians have been given a heavy responsibility of stewardship. The Lord has given them extensive material wealth to be distributed according to His specific directions. Such was the breathtaking wealth of Solomon.
All Christians have been given an awesome inheritance in the “unfathomable riches of Christ” (Eph 3:8). These are interior riches. Some of these riches are to be “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4), love, compassion, justice, and many other virtues, charisms, and graces of the Holy Spirit.
Frequently, spiritual riches are not recognized as valuable. Because of this sinful failure, some people gain worldly success and lose their immortal souls (see Lk 9:25). However, other people lose their lives for love of Jesus and paradoxically gain their lives (Lk 9:24) and the ultimate riches of eternal life in heaven.
All Christians are rich (Rv 2:9). But what are true riches? Which riches can you take with you after death? How can we store up riches in heaven? (Mt 6:20) Everything is at stake on how we live the answer to these questions. Be rich in God’s eyes (cf Lk 12:21).
Prayer: Father, make me wise in the area of wealth so that I may accept Your salvation on Your terms.
Promise: Jesus “summoned the crowd again and said to them, ‘Hear Me, all of you, and try to understand.’ ” —Mk 7:14
All these evils come from within and they defile.”
Presentation Ministries
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Growing in Inner Freedom: A Guide for Today
- by Philip St. Romain. Liguori Publ., 1986.
27. Speak for Yourself
“Whatever I say is spoken just as he [the Father]
instructed me” (John 12:50).
If we are to become spiritually free, we must learn to speak our own thoughts and express our own feelings. In the passage above, Jesus reminds us that, like him, our words should express God’s spirit within us.
Whose words do we speak? Very often our words only parrot what others have told us. Each of us should at least be honest enough to say, “I have read (this or that) but I don’t know what I believe yet.”
How do we share what we believe? If we speak as though our opinions should be normative for all, we only make our listener feel defensive. If we explain why we think as we do, while respecting the opinion of others, we open ourselves to a mutual learning experience.
How do we share our feelings? People who say, “You make me feel (this way or that)” place the burden of their emotional life upon the shoulders of others. Learn to give “I messages.” When angry, for example, say, “I feel angry when (describe the other’s behavior without judging him/her).” We influence each other’s feelings, but we must each take responsibility for the way we express our feelings.
How do we share our wants? One extreme is an arrogant insistence that leaves people feeling pressured, manipulated, and angry. The other extreme is a whimpering meekness that leaves people guessing what it is we’re really after. Why not just simply reveal what we want? If the other has conflicting wants, then negotiation must begin. But negotiation will go smoothly where listening, validating, empathizing, clarifying, and “I messages” are practiced in a spirit of
charity.
Suggested Practices
- How do you share your beliefs?
- Do you express your feelings constructively?
- Are you open to negotiation in sharing your needs?
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