Pagpasok sa Tahanan ng Diyos

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

14 October 2018

First reading                                                                  Wisdom 7:7-11
I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to sceptres and thrones, and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her. Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all gold is but a little sand in her sight, and silver will be accounted as clay before her. I loved her more than health and beauty, and I chose to have her rather than light, because her radiance never ceases. All good things came to me along with her, and in her hands uncounted wealth.

Second reading                                                     Hebrews 4:12-13

Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.

Gospel                                                                     Mark 10:17-30

As Jesus 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.”

Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age-houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions-and in the age to come eternal life.”

Reflection

By Nats Vibiesca

Si St. Francis of Assisi agad ang naiisip ko sa tuwing naririnig o nababasa ang Ebanghelyo tungkol sa mayamang lalaki na sinabihan ni Jesus na ipagbili ang lahat ng kanyang ari-arian at ipamigay sa mahihirap ang pinagbentahan kung gusto niyang magkaroon ng kayamanan sa langit. Siyempre nalungkot ang lalaki dahil napakayaman niya.  Samantalang ang santong si Kiko, hubo’t hubad na lumakad sa kalsada (buti’t nakatalikod siya sa pelikula) dahil ipinamigay niya ang lahat ng kanyang kayamanan sa mga mahihirap, kaya nga galit na galit ang tatay niya, at pati ba naman balabal o anumang saplot niya’y ipinamigay rin. Pero ‘pag ginawa natin ngayon ang maghubo’t hubad sa kalsada kagaya ni Kiko, sasabihing baliw ka o kaya’y huhulihin ka ng mga pulis dahil exhibitionist ka. Pero teka? Ano nga ba’t kayhirap gayahin ang ginawa ng santong si Kiko? 

Pagkatapos kong maisip si St. Francis at mapagnilayan ang ginawa niyang sakripisyong pagtalikod sa karangyaan at saka sumunod kay Jesus, samu’t saring katanungan naman ang babagabag sa ‘kin. Halimbawa’y lahat ba ng mayaman ay mas mahihirapang makapasok sa Kaharian ng Diyos? Marami naman akong nakilalang mayayaman na talaga namang napakabuti at napakabanal. O, ibig sabihin ba’y ang lahat ng mahirap ay mas madaling makakapasok sa Kaharian ng Diyos? Pero marami rin namang mahirap na nalugmok na sa kasalanan at patuloy na tinatalikuran ang paanyaya ng Diyos sa kanila. 

Ano nga ba ang ibig sabihin ng “Makapasok sa Kaharian ng Diyos”? Hindi ba’t laging hangad ng Diyos na ang tao’y maging masaya? Kung kapiling ang Diyos, sigurado ang kasiyahan, hindi ba’t kasama sa Kaharian ng Diyos ang maging masaya tayo? Masama bang maging mayaman? Dahil kapag naging mayaman ay mahihirapan na nga bang makapasok sa Kaharian ng Diyos? Hindi na ba tayo dapat gumawa ng paraan para yumaman? Sino nga ba ang taong ayaw maging mayaman? Exempted na si St. Francis. Parang ayoko na tuloy tumaya sa lotto. Hangad ng Diyos na maging masaya tayo at kung nakukuha natin ang mga bagay na kailangan natin sa buhay nang hindi natatapakan ang ibang tao, hindi ba’t sobrang kasiyahan ang dulot nito? 

Ang suspetsa ko’y ang tinutukoy ni Jesus na mayayaman na mahihirapang makapasok sa Kaharian ng Diyos ay ang mga taong sobrang yaman na at nakukuha ang lahat ng pangangailangan at labis na luho sa buhay, pero sobrang ganid pa rin sa pagpapayaman sa pamamagitan ng pagwawalanghiya sa kanilang mga trabahador kung sila’y negosyante, na hindi ibinibigay ang tamang pagpapasweldo o tamang benepisyo sa mga tauhan o kaya’y sobrang magpatubo ng kanilang produkto at serbisyo kahit pa ang buong pamayanan ang magsakripisyo, silang mayayaman na walang pakialam sa kahirapan na nararanasan ng mga tao sa paligid nila, silang nilulustay nang todo-todo ang anumang yaman kahit masakripisyo ang ibang tao o maging kalikasan, sila ang mga kinain na ang prinsipyo at dangal para lang makamkam ang ari-arian ng iba, silang mayayaman na handang gawin ang lahat ng panloloko sa kapwa o kahit pa pumatay ng tao makuha lamang ang kapangyarihan sa bayan.   

Lumaki ako sa Tundo at nakasalamuha noon ang maraming isang-kahig-isang-tuka sa buhay. Madalas na naririnig ko noon sa kanila’y magsusumikap talaga sila sa paghahanapbuhay para makaahon sa buhay (hindi para yumaman) dahil gusto raw nilang tulungang maiangat din ang iba pang mahirap. Hindi nakapagtataka ito dahil naranasan namin kung papaano ang magdildil ng asin, naramdaman kung papaano masaktan sa pagkakataong kung minsa’y kahit asin at kanin ay walang-wala. Kaya nga laging buhay na buhay ang bayanihan sa lugar ng mahihirap; kapansin-pansin na likas na matulungin sila dahil lagi silang nakaalalay sa nangangailangan; kung minsa’y hindi na nga kailangan humingi pa ng tulong ang kapwa nila mahirap dahil napakasensitibo nila sa pangangailangan ng iba at kahit walang-wala’y siguradong gagawa ng paraan para makatulong; totoo ang pananampalataya nila sa Diyos kaya’t walang humpay ang pananalangin; karaniwan ang paghahangad ng kung ano lamang ang kailangan at hindi ganid sa pera para magkaroon ng anumang luho sa katawan; at kung naliligaw naman ng landas ay laging hinahanap ang paraan para makabalik sa tamang daan.  

Alam ni Jesus na hindi totoong tamad ang mga mahihirap. Laging nasa isip kasi nila ang makaahon sa buhay upang matulungan ang kapwa, ngunit kahit anong pagsusumikap nila ay hirap na hirap umasenso dahil nga sa kawalan ng oportunidad. Sa bansa nati’y laging ang mga makapangyarihang mayayaman na ganid sa pagkamkam ng anumang ikayayaman nila ang nagkokontrol ng oportunidad kahit pa gawing alipin ang mga manggagawa. 

Kahit pa nasasanay na sa mga pagtitiis ang mga mahirap, nakatuon pa rin sa kung papaano iraraos nang marangal ang isang araw, subalit anu’t anuman ang mangyari’y hindi nakalilimutang ialay sa Diyos ang anumang dagok ng buhay, sapagkat ang paniniwala nila’y anumang lakas at pag-asa upang lumaban sa hirap ay biyayang galing din sa Panginoon, at nakakasumpong naman talaga ng kaligayahan sa biyaya ng Diyos. Kaya’t nakita ko na maraming masayahing tao sa Tundo o kung saanmang mahihirap na komunidad. 


Ito nga talaga ang misteryo ng buhay, ang naghihikahos pa ang may napakataas na dignidad sa hanapbuhay at sila ang kadalasang nakakaranas ng tunay na kaligayahan sa buhay.  Ang pagbibigay ng tunay na kaligayahan sa mga mahihirap ang rebelasyon ng Diyos sa atin sa Ebanghelyo, dahil walang hanggang ang Kanyang awa, ang pinakamaliit na nilalang ang Kanyang laging kinakalinga. Mahirap sigurong maunawaan ito ng mga mayayaman kung nakatuon na lamang sa pagpapanatili o pagpapayaman pa lalo ng anumang bagay sa mundo kahit pa natatapakan na ang ibang tao. Kung magmagandang loob naman at maisip na mamahagi rin ng kayamanan sa mahihirap, ano’ng silbi ng pamimigay ng kayamanan, kung hindi naman sila susunod kay Jesus at mananatili lamang sa buktot na gawain? Ang panawagan ni Jesus sa Ebanghelyo ay huwag nating kalimutan ang mga maralita, ibigay natin ang lahat ng ating makakaya upang matulungan ang mga nangangailangan. Pagkatapos ay talikuran na ang anumang kasamaan at ituon nating lagi ang pansin sa pagsunod sa Kanya. 

Ang mensahe ni Jesus ay babala at grasya rin hindi lang sa mga mahihirap kundi upang bigyang pagkakataon din ang mga mayayamang nakaligtaan na ang maliliit nilang kapwa at ang pagsunod sa Diyos.  

Prayer

O butihing Ama sa langit, maraming salamat sa lahat ng mga biyaya at pagkakataong ibinibigay Mo sa amin upang kami ay makatulong sa aming kapwa. Nawa’y patuloy kaming magkaroon ng kakayahan at pagkakataon na makapagbahagi ng Iyong pagmamahal sa aming kapwa sa ngalan ni Jesus. Amen.

Spiritual Zombies

First Reading:  2 MC 7:1-2, 9-14

It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king, to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.  One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said: “What do you expect to achieve by questioning us?  We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.”

At the point of death he said: “You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever.  It is for his laws that we are dying.”

After him the third suffered their cruel sport. He put out his tongue at once when told to do so, and bravely held out his hands, as he spoke these noble words: “It was from Heaven that I received these; for the sake of his laws I disdain them; from him I hope to receive them again.” Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage, because he regarded his sufferings as nothing.

After he had died, they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way.

When he was near death, he said, “It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the hope God gives of being raised up by him; but for you, there will be no resurrection to life.”

Responsorial Psalm: PS 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15

Second Reading: 2 THES 2:16-3:5

Brothers and sisters:

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.

Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified, as it did among you, and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked people, for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.  We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you, you are doing and will continue to do.  May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.

Reflection: LK 20:27-38

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us,

If someone's brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless.

Finally the woman also died.  Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be?

For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.

That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called out ‘Lord,’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

Reflection 
By Carlo Alexis Malaluan

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive (Lk 20:38). 

Years ago, my grandfather died of cardiac arrest. To be honest, it was my first time to see someone in our family fighting for his life in the clutches of death. ‘He’s dead. He is no longer with us. He’s gone.’ Those were the words my grandmother, widowed by the passing of his husband, kept repeating. She was engulfed with great sorrow and grief. I hugged her tight and said, No, ‘nay. He is not dead. He is alive…with God! Death is an inevitable part of our human nature. Death is the result of our weakness and frailties, of our sins and transgressions. We can say that death marks the end of our earthly pilgrimage, but I dare to say, not all living is alive.

There is a popular trend in the film industry nowadays which highlights the existence of zombies, they are living persons who continue to exist, walk and feed but are technically considered dead. But this is not only confided in the corners of the showbiz industry rather it is also relevant in our Christian life. Let us reflect and look within. Are we truly alive or are we ‘spiritual zombies’? In today’s Gospel, Our Lord was confronted by the Sadducees who do not believe in the resurrection. For them, the written law is the basis of their lives that they miss the very essence of the life itself. They are like zombies; they continue to exist but are not totally alive.

Resurrection on the other hand is the prize of redemption. It is the result of God’s unfailing and unending mercy and compassion for the ailing humanity. Jesus reprimanded the Sadducees’ insincere query and told them that Resurrection is not for everyone but for ‘those judged worthy of a place in the age to come’. We are all going to die. Fact. But not all of us is worthy of Resurrection.

Now you ask me, what does it take to be truly alive? The only answer is to love. God is Love. This is what Saint John the Evangelist tells us in one of his letters. And if we are truly Children of the Living God, it means we are also children of love and mercy. God commanded us to love one another. When we fail to help someone who is knocking at the doors of our hearts, asking for a simple thing from our enormous ‘storage room’, we let our souls to die. When we fail to be merciful to others, we let our hearts to die. But if we do random, good, and noble things especially to those persons who cannot repay us back, we are truly alive. If we can love the unlovable, the neglected, the sorrowful, the broken – we are truly alive. Let me end my reflection by these words of the poor man from Assisi: "In giving we are receiving and in dying we are born into Eternal life".

Prayer

Lord, the Fountain of Life, grant us the grace to become fully alive. Grant us the grace to give our lives in the service of others that by doing so, we are partaking into Your resurrection. Lord, allow us to embrace the life You have given unto us and help us to bring others to the fullness of life that someday we may be together in Your kingdom in heaven. Amen.

Fishers of Men

  “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 

First Reading: Jonah 3:1-5, 10

The word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’S bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;

it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed, “ when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 7:29-31

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning,  those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.

Gospel: Mark 1:14-20

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

Reflection
By Nicola S. Albano

I am so happy, blessed, humbled, and honored to see and hear about His Holiness, Pope Francis in the news during his visit to my country. This brings back memories from when I was 15 years old, and an active member of Anluwage at St. Joseph Parish in my hometown at Manila. Twenty years ago, Anluwage participated in the festivities when Saint Pope John Paul II visited the Philippines for World Youth Day.

Twenty-two months ago, the Jesuit Cardinal, Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis. He chose the name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. I have admired Pope Francis as a humble servant and leader of our Church since then. Saint Francis of Assisi is also one of my favorite saints.

Eleven months ago, my family and I were blessed to celebrate the Consistory of the 16 new cardinals selected by Pope Francis. We went to the Vatican City primarily to celebrate our relative, His Eminence, Orlando Cardinal Quevedo. I felt so blessed and humbled during my first visit to St. Peter’s Basilica to witness history happening before us. I saw the Holy Father, and listened to him for the first time in person. My Italian is so poor, but with the help of translation and simply being present there, made me feel as though the Holy Spirit gave me the Spirit of Understanding. This helped me come home to New York with a stronger faith and a better, lighter, more positive outlook in life in general.

The image of Pope Francis on a Pope mobile designed after the jeepney, the minibus for the common Filipino people, did not surprise me at all. We have known the Holy Father to be humble. Jeepneys symbolize Filipino ingenuity for they were made from surplus United States military jeeps post World War II.  I am so grateful for having the Holy Father visit Tacloban to pray with the families of those affected by Typhoon Haiyan; my hometown, Manila, to meet families and the poor people; and my Alma Mater, University of Santo Tomas, to meet the youth. He encourages us to remain faithful in spite of the difficult, sometimes impossible situations.

Like Jesus, Pope Francis calls us to love. Pope Francis said, “Real love is about loving and letting yourself be loved. It’s harder to let yourself be loved than to love. That is why it is so difficult to come to the perfect love of God. We can love Him but we must let ourselves be loved by Him. Real love is being open to the love that comes to you. The love that surprises us. If you only have information, you are not surprised. Love surprises because it opens a dialogue of loving and being loved. God is a God of surprise because He loved us first. God awaits us to surprise us. Let us allow ourselves to be surprised by God. Let us not have a computer psychology that makes us think we know it all. All answers are on computers - but no surprises. The challenge of love. God reveals himself through surprises.”

In our Gospel today, Jesus came to Galilee to proclaim the gospel (good news) that the kingdom of God is at hand and that we are called to repent, and believe in the Gospel. And just like Simon, Andrew, James, and John, we are all called to become “fishers of men.” The kingdom of God is at hand for those who are ready to receive it.

As a New Yorker who experienced NYC pre and post 9/11, some days I still struggle thinking about the evil things that continue to happen in the world and their repercussions. Gradually, my faith grew stronger with the grace of God; and being raised in Tondo and as a New Yorker most of my adult life, I have grown stronger after all the adversities that have happened in my life. Historically, people from Tondo, Manila and New York City are brave and tough as nails. I’m blessed to have lived and experienced both lifestyles and this has helped me to become as hardy as I can ever imagine myself to be.


I refuse to question why things happen the way they do and just believe that God is Almighty and merciful. When things are difficult for me to understand; 9/11, Typhoon Haiyan, terrorism, war, poverty, etc., I try to remember what I do know and understand… that God loves us and He is our Father. Let us continue to repent for our sins and believe in the good news of our salvation. God promised us that, “His kingdom is bigger and more powerful than anything we can imagine because it is universal and everlasting" (Daniel 4:3).

Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, harmony;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.
(Prayer of Saint Francis)

Gospel Way of Life

First Reading: Wis 7:7-11

I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her, nor did I liken any priceless gem to her; because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand, and before her, silver is to be accounted mire. Beyond health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather than the light, because the splendor of her never yields to sleep. Yet all good things together came to me in her company, and countless riches at her hands.

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

Second Reading: Heb 4:12-13

Brothers and sisters: Indeed the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.

Gospel: Mk 10:17-30

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."

Reflection:

Mark Vertido

Following Jesus is not an easy task. It takes a heart and a determined will to follow Christ in everything. Today’s Gospel shows our tendency to be inconsistent to our faith. The rich man himself cannot accept the invitation of Christ because of its consequences that would change his life. It is really difficult at times to change one’s lifestyle in just a snap. The process may be difficult but Christ invites us more and more to follow the Gospel way of life.

Many holy men and women throughout the ages were inspired by the message of today’s Gospel. One of which is Saint Francis of Assisi, whom I consider as my favorite Saint. Let me talk about his life since every October 4 we celebrate his memorial.

If there was a man who would have followed Jesus in renouncing material possessions and the world, it would be Francis of Assisi. Radically, Francis renounced all forms of materialism and solely depended on God’s Providence. Slowly, Francis attracted followers who would like to live the Gospel way of life of chastity, poverty and obedience – the Jesus Way. Today, they are collectively known as the Franciscan family with numerous branches throughout the world.

I, myself, have been greatly influenced by St. Francis since my younger years (it is then not amazing that he is called the most loved Saint of all times). That influenced went as far as trying to be a Secular Franciscan but I needed to discontinue because of school. Some would say that the life such of St. Francis is a crazy one but nothing has changed. The call of Jesus in the Gospel does not change. And in fact, we are called to be more obedient to Christ as materialism increases in this world which causes great individualism among people.

For more than five months now, I am living here in Metro Manila. From the province where I had experienced simplicity of life, suddenly I am witnessing how materialism and individualism corrupt the values of the people especially the young. It is good to note that the Gospel passage this Sunday from Mark is also found in both Matthew and Luke’s Gospel. And according to Matthew, this rich man in the Gospel is a young person.

It saddens me to observe among many students, selfishness and lack of initiative to respond quickly to the plea of our brethren. We might see some on television helping and so but that is not the real story. The real story is inside the schools. It is not believable that students could not give anything to other people. It is no wonder that even solidarity for social advocacies are not even entertained. And much more, many students do not even give importance to their education. What is happening to them?

Jesus says that it is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God and it is easier for the camel to pass through the eye of a needle. It is wrong to think that to be rich is bad. Richness is a blessing from God Himself and He contradicts Himself if He will forbid riches to people. Jesus instructs us to use wisely our riches for the good of others. We do not need to take hold of our riches and keep it for ourselves forever. If we are selfish, we are closing our palms to receive greater blessings from God. And there is no greater blessing than to receive the promise of entering the kingdom of God. If we close our hands, we are also denying God to guide us to His kingdom.

Applying the Gospel in our life, I am reminded of a quote saying, “Live simply that others may simply live.” This affirms what the Gospel tells us to be. Let us not be bothered by our riches rather let us be bothered how to live according to God’s will. Our life is not measured by material things or achievements which are likened to our breath, vanished by the blow of the wind. God wants us to live in simplicity so that the riches we have may be shared to others.

During the Year of Faith, let us live out what it means to be followers of Christ. To be a Christian means to be obedient to the will of Christ. The Blessed Mother is always the perfect example for obedience to the will of God. Living life to the fullest does not mean to live all its pleasures, but to walk with our own sufferings and the sufferings of others. That is life living the Gospel. “From Gospel to life, and life back to the Gospel.”

Commitment: Open your arms to the needy and live life according to the Gospel.

Prayer

Loving Father, help us to become Your true disciples. Give us determination and will to accomplish the unique plans that You have set for us. Teach us to live the Gospel way of life and to respond to the needs of our brothers and sisters. May we become dependent to Your Divine Providence rather than to material things. Inspired by Your Word, may we live simply that others may simply live. Amen.