Message of the Day
|
God has given us two hands -- one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for giving.
- Billy Graham (What is the balance between these "two hands" activities in your life lately?) |
Readings of the Day
|
SIR 17:20-24; PS 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7; MK 10:17-27 R. Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, "I confess my faults to the LORD,"
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
For this shall every faithful man pray to you
in time of stress.
Though deep waters overflow,
they shall not reach him.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
USCCB lectionary
|
Reflection on the Gospel
|
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.
Jesus is not picking on the wealthy. In the Hebrew scriptures, material richness was seen as a sign of God's favor. Instead, Jesus is warning of the distraction and false promises of materialism and earthly power. We cannot rest secure because of our bounty. Our things will not gain us salvation. Nor will our works, for that matter, but our right actions can bring us closer to living like Jesus, who freely offers us the gift of salvation. Then we can appreciate the value of the offer of the kingdom. Lord, help us to seek the ultimate prize of your gift of salvation, we pray.
- by Patricia Russell
My Daily Bread
|
Spiritual Reading
|
The Sparkling Stone, by St. John of Rusybroeck (1293-1381) Now I have observed that all sinners may be divided into five kinds. To the first kind belong all those who are careless of good works, who through bodily ease and the lust of the senses prefer to live in worldly employments and in multiplicity of heart. All such are unfit to receive the grace of God, and even if they had received it, they would not be able to keep it.
To the second kind belong those who have willingly and wittingly fallen into mortal sin, yet also do good works, and dwell in the fear and awe of the Lord, and love the just, and desire their prayers, and put their trust therein. So long, however, as turning from God and love of sin vanquish and repulse love of God and turning to God, so long these remain unworthy of the grace of God. - Chapter Five: "Of the works which God works in all in common and of five kinds of sinners"
|
|
|
