My take on the Sermon of the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, St. Kenneth Feast Day
Sunday, 11 October 2015 -Today, is my patron feast day, St. Kenneth and the reading talks love, wealth and relationships. Can I truly love somebody without looking at what she has? Can I love unconditionally? Can I offer Agape Love as Christ calls us all to do? This is a question we should all ask ourselves.
Wealthy people have many friends and they sometimes boast in the loyalty of these people. But are they really true? Especially in today’s world where we have a lot of sponsored relationships, where the people come back to you because of what they can get off you.
Sociologically there are 3 things determine our relations wealth, power and prestige. Wealth comes from the procession we have, it is important because it offers us security. We all need money for a lot of things, including medication and it helps in the spread of God’s word and to be able to offer acts of charity. So money is important. Ecclesiastes 10:19 “A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry; but money answereth all things”
In the 1st reading Ben Sirac prayed, we are not told what he prayed for but we are told that he did not get what he wanted but as given something else, Wisdom 7:7a” I prayed, and prudence (understanding) was given me; ” When he did not it he then begged and instead what he begged for he did not get but got Wisdom, which he loved as it as better than power. Wisdom 7:7b-9 “I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to sceptre 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.”
Fr. Minta the Homilist, recounted his experience in the village he grew in the central region, in the 1960 to the 1970s the pupil teachers was respected, even without his professional certificate as a teacher. This was within an environment that was awashed with storeowners and timber merchants who were materially rich. But the pupil teacher had a lot of prestige in those days because of his knowledge. In those time knowledge was treasured. So the people aspired for their children to also be able to read and write. Also the source of ones wealth was questioned.
But today 50 years down the line, education does not matter any more, even qualifications are bought with money, no one questions the source of ones income. There has been a change in values to materialism, we have lost a lot, prudence and wisdom are not valued anymore generally.
King Solomon did not ask for power or wealth but an understanding mind, a confirmation of what the 1st reading tells us. Once we seek 1st the kingdom of God and its righteousness, which what wisdom is, all other things are added to it. Wisdom 7:10-11 “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”
In the 2nd reading we see the power of the Word of God, it is all-powerful and can do everything. Hebrews 4:12–13 “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”
In the Gospel we see the rich man asking God for what to do for eternal live, but Christ offered him salvation, which is different for eternal live. Those in hell also live forever and have eternal live. But salvation comes from Christ and is different and that is what we should seek.
For the richman having money meant he could buy everything, but for salvation you cannot buy. Salvation does not come from what we have but how much we give. It is in giving that we receive, as St. Francis of Assis says in his prayer. A truly wealthy man is someone who can give without counting the cost. So when Christ gave him the answer based on his status “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. ”
In the gospel we hear “How hard it is for those who treasure 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.” ” So Christ tells us that if the rich man has Christ, the impossibility becomes possible and he can make heaven and get salvation.
We are working hard to be rich, be powerful and then be prestigious. Power is our ability of getting our wishes fulfilled even at the resistance of others. What are we looking in our world today? All the 3, riches, power and prestige are good, but it is how we use them that matters. What are we currently doing to get the 3 and how are we using them, what we have now?
Loving for the sake of these 3 things is dangerous. But if we love for the sake giving them to others is wise. Wisdom will help us to know that we cannot do it alone; power is in the position not the individual. In this world there is only one thing that sustains, God, don’t trust in man, but in God. With God all things are possible.
Wisdom nothing but having God. Let’s seek it
READING
Wisdom 7:7–11 – I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to sceptre 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 – Psalm 90:12–13, 14–15, 16–17 (14)
Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days. Make us glad, for the days when you afflicted us, for the years when we saw evil.
Let your work be seen by your servants and your glory by their children; and may the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours; prosper the work of our hands for us! Prosper the work of our hands!
SECOND READING – Hebrews 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.
ALLELUIA – Matthew 5:3
Alleluia, alleluia. – Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
GOSPEL – Longer Form Mark 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.”
This post has already been read 1381 times!
2 comments