By Fr. Andrew Kelly
28TH SUNDAY ORDINAL TIME – OCT. 14
From the very beginning, as Sunday’s Gospel (Mark 10:17-30) indicates, there has been tension between owning possessions and following Jesus.
The age-old question is asked: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus’ response is age-old: “You know the commandments: ‘You shall not…’”
The community’s response is age-old: “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.”
Sunday’s Gospel happens again in 2012:
“Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor … then come, follow me.’”
Will it happen again in 2012?
“When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.”
It is not a matter of becoming destitute for destituteness sake. Notice “and give the money to the poor … for my sake and for the sake of the good news …”
If the community is possessed by its possessions, it needs to listen carefully to Jesus’ warning:
“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
(Father Andrew Kelly is a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport.)
Scripture Readings for Oct. 14-21
Sunday
Wis 7:7-11
Heb 4:12-13
Mk 10:17-30 or Mk 10:17-27
Monday
Gal 4:22-24, 26-27, 31-5:1
Lk 11:29-32
Tuesday
Gal 5:1-6
Lk 11:37-41
Wednesday
Gal 5:18-25
Lk 11:42-46
Thursday
2 Tm 4:10-17b
Lk 10:1-9
Friday
Eph 1:11-14
Lk 12:1-7
Saturday
Eph 1:15-23
Lk 12:8-12
Sunday
Is 53:10-11
Heb 4:14-16
Mk 10:35-45 or Mk 10:42-45
