Today's Scripture Reading
Mark 10:17-31 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
I do beg the pardon of my readers today. I have been away from our home for a couple days, so I am writing this blog reflection at this very last moment. As that is the case, I am choosing only one reading and that is the Gospel. I pray that this reflection will be meaningful and inspiriting.
How do we leave behind all that is dear and important to us? It is a question that many have had to answer. When a member of the military has to leave her/his family to go on duty, she/he leaves everything else behind. Spouse, parents, children, friends, etc. Every holiday season, there are those moments on the news of members of the military wishing their relatives a happy holiday season, often with tears in their eyes. A person who works a career of business that makes them travel a lot, have to say good bye for the time being, to any number of people on a regular basis.
The point that Jesus is making here is not so much the leaving of one's family in the literal sense. It is the leaving of our false sense of self that is so tied to the things around us, that we never leave them behind to follow God's will in our hearts and lives. We always carry those relationships deep with in us. We can also carry them around in a way that we focus on those relationships for the sake of themselves. Somewhere in all of those relationships is our God talking through them to us, and we to them. God calls us through others, including those possessions we use, to remember that they all came to us because of God's graciousness initiative.
St. Benedict taught that "All utensils and goods of the Monastery are be regarded as the sacred vessels of the altar." (RB:1980: The Rule of St. Benedict in English, Chapter 31, p.55). Handling anything in the mind of St. Benedict was about remembering our responsibility of stewardship for the things we handle, and the people we live in relationship with. The challenge the Jesus gives to the wealthy person, is that riches in and of themselves are not bad, however, when we live as though it is all ours with no concern about anyone other than ourselves, we worship the thing rather than God.
We are not only attached to "things", we also tend to hold on to other things such as attitudes towards others who are different from ourselves. We can hold wealth as if no one else should have a little of what we may have in abundance. Those who exercise their wealth well, are those who may have a lot, but share it with those who do not. The bottom line here is, we can hold onto our privileges at the expense of the underprivileged. When we do that, everyone suffers.
Holding attitudes of sexism, racism, homophobia and heterosexism, religious discrimination and more, there are those losing as we gain benefits. When we hold religious freedom for example, to applying to only one religious group, with a complete disregard to others, no persons belief system is really safeguarded. When we safeguard those of us who are Caucasian too tightly, those who are of any other race can never find a place of equality for them, because they are the second class citizens. When people hold too tightly to their guns, even while innocent people are being killed every second by a gun, no one is really safe in their neighborhoods, schools or homes.
What is it that we need to leave behind?
What things are we holding so tightly to, that no one else can share in our happiness?
Where is God in our lives, also in the things we handle and the people we relate to?
May all Christians remember that all that God gives to us, is never really our own, but on loan by a loving God. This includes our mortal bodies and those of others. It is only by letting go, that we discover God's holiness in all that is around us. May we all take time today, to look for, touch and listen to God in all things and people.
Amen.
Prayers
Mark 10:17-31 (NRSV)
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. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."
Blog Reflection
I do beg the pardon of my readers today. I have been away from our home for a couple days, so I am writing this blog reflection at this very last moment. As that is the case, I am choosing only one reading and that is the Gospel. I pray that this reflection will be meaningful and inspiriting.
How do we leave behind all that is dear and important to us? It is a question that many have had to answer. When a member of the military has to leave her/his family to go on duty, she/he leaves everything else behind. Spouse, parents, children, friends, etc. Every holiday season, there are those moments on the news of members of the military wishing their relatives a happy holiday season, often with tears in their eyes. A person who works a career of business that makes them travel a lot, have to say good bye for the time being, to any number of people on a regular basis.
The point that Jesus is making here is not so much the leaving of one's family in the literal sense. It is the leaving of our false sense of self that is so tied to the things around us, that we never leave them behind to follow God's will in our hearts and lives. We always carry those relationships deep with in us. We can also carry them around in a way that we focus on those relationships for the sake of themselves. Somewhere in all of those relationships is our God talking through them to us, and we to them. God calls us through others, including those possessions we use, to remember that they all came to us because of God's graciousness initiative.
St. Benedict taught that "All utensils and goods of the Monastery are be regarded as the sacred vessels of the altar." (RB:1980: The Rule of St. Benedict in English, Chapter 31, p.55). Handling anything in the mind of St. Benedict was about remembering our responsibility of stewardship for the things we handle, and the people we live in relationship with. The challenge the Jesus gives to the wealthy person, is that riches in and of themselves are not bad, however, when we live as though it is all ours with no concern about anyone other than ourselves, we worship the thing rather than God.
We are not only attached to "things", we also tend to hold on to other things such as attitudes towards others who are different from ourselves. We can hold wealth as if no one else should have a little of what we may have in abundance. Those who exercise their wealth well, are those who may have a lot, but share it with those who do not. The bottom line here is, we can hold onto our privileges at the expense of the underprivileged. When we do that, everyone suffers.
Holding attitudes of sexism, racism, homophobia and heterosexism, religious discrimination and more, there are those losing as we gain benefits. When we hold religious freedom for example, to applying to only one religious group, with a complete disregard to others, no persons belief system is really safeguarded. When we safeguard those of us who are Caucasian too tightly, those who are of any other race can never find a place of equality for them, because they are the second class citizens. When people hold too tightly to their guns, even while innocent people are being killed every second by a gun, no one is really safe in their neighborhoods, schools or homes.
What is it that we need to leave behind?
What things are we holding so tightly to, that no one else can share in our happiness?
Where is God in our lives, also in the things we handle and the people we relate to?
May all Christians remember that all that God gives to us, is never really our own, but on loan by a loving God. This includes our mortal bodies and those of others. It is only by letting go, that we discover God's holiness in all that is around us. May we all take time today, to look for, touch and listen to God in all things and people.
Amen.
Prayers
Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and
follow us, that we may continually be given to good works;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 23: The Book of Common Prayer, p. 234).
Gracious Father, we pray for thy holy Catholic Church. Fill it
with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt,
purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is
amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in
want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake
of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen. (Prayer for the Church. The Book of Common Prayer, p. 816).
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