May 23, 2016

Mk 10: 17-27

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “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.” They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.

Reaching Out

In today’s reading, we hear about the man who ran up to Jesus as he was about to depart on a journey and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  This is the Year of Mercy. How many times have we reached out to help someone in need?  

All our possessions will not help us gain eternal life.   As Jesus told his disciples, “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.” Then who can be saved? Jesus said, “For men it is impossible but not for God. All things are possible for God.” Today let us take a moment to reach out to one another as sisters and brothers in Christ, and do some work of mercy for someone in need.

—Veronica Valandra serves as Pastoral Coordinator at Red Cloud High School, Pine Ridge, SD.  She also works with six parishes on the Pine Ridge Reservation and is a member of the Rosebud Sioux tribe.

Prayer

   Grandfather God,

      Great Spirit,

fill us with light.

Give us the strength to understand

and the eyes to see clearly.

Teach us to walk the soft earth

has relatives to ALL that live.

Help us!

Without you, we are nothing.

—A Sioux Prayer

Please share the Good Word with your friends!