Mark 10:17-30 or 10:17-27

Wisdom 7:7-11

Psalm 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

Hebrews 4:12-13

Mark 10:17-30 or 10:17-27

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,

knelt down before him, and asked him,

“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? 

No one is good but God alone.

You know the commandments: You shall not kill;

you shall not commit adultery;

you shall not steal;

you shall not bear false witness;

you shall not defraud;

honor your father and your mother.” 

He replied and said to him,

“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”

Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,

“You are lacking in one thing.

Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor

and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

At that statement his face fell,

and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,

“How hard it is for those who have wealth

to enter the kingdom of God!”

The disciples were amazed at his words.

So Jesus again said to them in reply,

“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle

than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,

“Then who can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said,

“For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. 

All things are possible for God.”

Peter began to say to him,

“We have given up everything and followed you.”

Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,

there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters

or mother or father or children or lands

for my sake and for the sake of the gospel

who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:

houses and brothers and sisters

and mothers and children and lands,

with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you do not promise me an easy life. However, you do offer the promise of eternal life. I will give up everything and follow your Son. Help me to know today what is holding me back and what I am attached to that keeps me from the path that leads to life.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Parables as Riddles: Jesus used many different types of parables. Some of Jesus’ parables were narrative stories, others were thought-provoking sayings, and still others were puzzles or riddles. Jesus liked to use riddles to reveal and conceal the mystery of the Kingdom and the mystery of his divinity (Pitre, Jesus and Divine Christology, 112). In the Gospel, a rich man asked Jesus what he must do to obtain eternal life (Mark 10:17) and be raised from the dead at the final judgment (Daniel 12:2). In response, Jesus insisted first on two points: first, profess the goodness of the one God of Israel and, second, keep the commandments to have eternal life. Jesus then added a third requirement: the rich man must sell his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow Jesus. When Jesus says that there is only one who is good, he does not deny that he is God. Rather, he is using a riddle meant to lead the rich man to the realization of who Jesus really is (Pitre, Jesus and Divine Christology, 136). If the rich man truly loves God, then he will give up his money and follow Jesus, the incarnate Son of God.

2. Compared to Wisdom, Gold is like Sand: The First Reading, taken from the Book of Wisdom, compares having wisdom to having riches. The passage recalls King Solomon’s prayer for wisdom. The wisdom Solomon had in his youth was not something he achieved through study and his own efforts but was a gift from God. The youthful Solomon loved wisdom more than power – he “preferred her to scepters and thrones.” Great wealth was nothing in comparison to wisdom. Power, riches, gems, and health are all good things, but they pale in comparison to wisdom. In comparison with wisdom, gold is like sand, and silver is like clay. Solomon not only received the spirit of wisdom from God but he was blessed with many other good things. “Solomon’s riches, power, and enjoyment of life all derived from wisdom” (Giszczak, Wisdom of Solomon, 85). Wisdom is a source of heavenly riches, servant authority, and true happiness.

3. The Word of God is Sharper than a Sword: In the Second Reading, the Letter to the Hebrews is encouraging its readers to not be like the people of Israel in the desert. Unlike the people of Israel who refused to enter into the Promised Land and feared that they would “fall by the sword” if they followed the Lord into Canaan (Numbers 14:3), we are to strive to enter into God’s eternal rest and not fall short due to disobedience to God’s living and active Word. God’s Word is sharper than a physical sword. A physical sword can only bring about physical death. The “divine word is more lethal still, for it can bring eternal death and destruction” (Hebrews 10:26-31) (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 421). Nothing will be hidden from God’s judgment, which can discern our deepest thoughts and intentions.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, penetrate the depths of my heart, soul, and spirit. Expose any evil thoughts or intentions. Heal them with your grace, transform me to be like you, and fill me with your Spirit of Wisdom.

Living the Word of God: Do I spend more time during the week seeking earthly things like power, possessions, pleasure, or seeking heavenly wisdom? Do I worry more about what people think about me, or am I preparing myself for my final judgment? How can I seek heavenly wisdom and order my life accordingly?