Mark 9:41-50

James 5:1-6

Psalm 49:14-15ab, 15cd-16, 17-18, 19-20

Mark 9:41-50

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink

because you belong to Christ,

amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,

it would be better for him if a great millstone

were put around his neck

and he were thrown into the sea.

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.

It is better for you to enter into life maimed

than with two hands to go into Gehenna,

into the unquenchable fire.

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.

It is better for you to enter into life crippled

than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.

Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye

than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,

where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

“Everyone will be salted with fire.

Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,

with what will you restore its flavor?

Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, do not let me be superficial as I contemplate how I use my time and the eternal destiny that awaits me. Teach me to take the final judgment seriously, knowing that all I have done and that every intention of my heart will be revealed.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Conversion of Heart: Jesus uses graphic language to try to convince his listeners of the importance of conversion of heart. He speaks of being thrown into the sea with a millstone and of cutting off the cause of sin, whether it be a hand, a foot, or an eye. These actions are not encouraged, but are used as comparisons to help us reflect on the difference between time and eternity. It is foolish to spend our time on earth solely seeking wealth, pleasure, and power. This is because this short life is little or nothing compared to eternal life. Enduring suffering patiently here on earth is worth it. Wealth, pleasure, and power are indeed attractive, but they do not fill the deepest desires of our hearts. Our hearts can only be filled truly by love – love for God and love for our neighbors, who are called to become our brothers and sisters in Christ.

2. Belonging to Christ: There is a stark contrast between belonging to Christ and not belonging to Christ. The First Reading, from the Letter of James, accuses the rich of having condemned and murdered the righteous one, Jesus Christ. In the Gospel, Jesus draws out the contrast between those who cause the simple of heart to sin and those who serve the poor. The latter, those who serve the poor, manifest that they belong to Christ. Both the rich who are indifferent to the poor and those who cause others to sin merit condemnation. The Psalmist says that in the afterlife, the rich who trusted in their wealth and not in God will never see the light. Jesus describes this netherworld as a place of unquenchable fire and compares it to the valley of Gehenna outside of Jerusalem, where the trash and refuse of the city burned continuously.

3. Redemption and the Sacraments: The Psalmist places his trust in God, knowing that in some way God will redeem him from the power of the netherworld. As Christians, we know that this redemption is accomplished through Jesus Christ, who conquered death and rose victorious from the grave. We share in his death and resurrection through the Sacraments, especially through the waters of Baptism and in the Eucharist – the life-giving Bread. The Eucharist is the memorial of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. It is the mystery of redemptive suffering and heavenly glory that invites us continually to conform our lives not to the things of this world but to the holy things of God.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to heed your words today and see where my life is headed. If I am on the wrong path, steer me in the right direction. If I am on the right path, strengthen my steps and fill me with the supernatural hope of attaining eternal life.

Living the Word of God: What is it in my life that is an obstacle to attaining eternal life? What threatens my eternal salvation? What can I do to protect myself from these threats and remove these obstacles? What actions, such as receiving the sacraments, lead me closer to life with God?