Twenty-eighth Week of Ordinary Time: Oct. 15 - 21, 2006
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Authors
Alexander, Andy, S.J.
Issue Date
2006-10-15
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Language
en_US
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Abstract
For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. Galatians 4
The Twenty--eighth Week of Ordinary Time|The powerful story of the rich young man is the gospel centerpiece in the Twenty-eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time. He asks Jesus what he can do to inherit eternal life and already keeps the commandments. Jesus offers him the challenge of the gospel: "Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor ... then come, follow me." Mark's gospel tells us that the young man "went away sad, for he had many possessions." When Jesus tells his followers how hard it will be for a rich person to be saved they are astonished - and worried. They wondered how they could ever be saved. "All things are possible for God," was Jesus' response.|Tuesday is the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr. Wednesday is the Feast of Saint Luke, with its gospel reminding us of our role as disciples. Thursday is Memorial of Saint John de Brebeuf and Saint Isaac Jogues, priests and martyrs. These Jesuits are often known as "the North American Martyrs."|The Letter to the Galatians has been called "the Gospel of Christian Freedom." It is a great guide in being from from the law to become free in Christ.|In Luke's Gospel this week, Jesus seems frustrated that some of the people won't listen to him. When a Pharisee invited Jesus for dinner, the fellow was shocked that Jesus didn't do the required ritual washing of his hands. Jesus uses this as an opportunity to talk about real purity. He recommends they give money to the poor. But as Jesus continues to challenge the Pharisees, they hatch a plot to get rid of him. Jesus tells his disciples to beware of the "leaven" or "hypocrisy" of the Pharisees. Jesus wants us to acknowledge him, in the face of persecution. Even when we sin, we simply can't give up on the work of the Spirit among us. It is the Spirit who will guide us in what to say or do.|For the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time we hear the story from Mark's Gospel about two of Jesus' closest friends, James and John, who want seats of honor in "the Kingdom" they envision for Jesus. We can almost see Jesus shake his head in dismay that they have missed his point once again. He does not let his disciples get sidetracked into jealousy but calls them together again to give them his message: "Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Daily Prayer This Week|On Sunday we see a wealthy young man who wants to follow the rules and do things right. For him, sacrifice is alright, but not if it causes pain. We see that this young man walks away from Jesus, sad and unfulfilled. It's a good place for us to begin our prayers this week, pondering the invitation from Jesus in our lives.|Whether or not we have a clear picture of where we are being called by Jesus, we can feel the invitation, the call to our hearts, in the silence. We can take just a few minutes each morning as we awaken to sit by the side of the bed and open our hands and hearts and pray, "Jesus, in this quiet moment, I feel my heart being drawn to you. Help me to see this day where you are calling me."|We can repeat this small act on our way to work, taking our children to school and walking to the store. "I know you are in my heart, Jesus. I know you are calling me this day, but my heart is not always open to listen. Help me to answer your call today. At the end of this day, help me to be joyful in answering your call through those in my life."|So many of the stories this week are clashes between Jesus and the Pharisees. We can ask ourselves:|Where in my life do I worry more about appearances than I do the poor who are in front of me? Who are "the poor" in my life? Who are the outcasts, the unpopular or the rejected people I see each day? How can I minister to those people and be a leaven in this world?|At the end of each day this week, we can be grateful for the many opportunities we were given to follow along with Jesus. We can ask the Holy Spirit to help us see the invitation in our lives every day and ask for the clarity to recognize "the poor." When I see the poor, the outcasts, those whose health or habits make them unappealing, do I love them the way Jesus would? Can I look at the brusque and rude people in my life as people Jesus would have gravitated toward, sensing how much they need love?|Lord, fill my heart with your love and let me sing for joy! Let your mercy come to me and let me spread that joy and mercy to all those in my life. My heart feels so tight and closed some times. I can only beg you to open it to a new level of generosity and love. I cannot do this alone but nothing is impossible for you.
The Twenty--eighth Week of Ordinary Time|The powerful story of the rich young man is the gospel centerpiece in the Twenty-eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time. He asks Jesus what he can do to inherit eternal life and already keeps the commandments. Jesus offers him the challenge of the gospel: "Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor ... then come, follow me." Mark's gospel tells us that the young man "went away sad, for he had many possessions." When Jesus tells his followers how hard it will be for a rich person to be saved they are astonished - and worried. They wondered how they could ever be saved. "All things are possible for God," was Jesus' response.|Tuesday is the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr. Wednesday is the Feast of Saint Luke, with its gospel reminding us of our role as disciples. Thursday is Memorial of Saint John de Brebeuf and Saint Isaac Jogues, priests and martyrs. These Jesuits are often known as "the North American Martyrs."|The Letter to the Galatians has been called "the Gospel of Christian Freedom." It is a great guide in being from from the law to become free in Christ.|In Luke's Gospel this week, Jesus seems frustrated that some of the people won't listen to him. When a Pharisee invited Jesus for dinner, the fellow was shocked that Jesus didn't do the required ritual washing of his hands. Jesus uses this as an opportunity to talk about real purity. He recommends they give money to the poor. But as Jesus continues to challenge the Pharisees, they hatch a plot to get rid of him. Jesus tells his disciples to beware of the "leaven" or "hypocrisy" of the Pharisees. Jesus wants us to acknowledge him, in the face of persecution. Even when we sin, we simply can't give up on the work of the Spirit among us. It is the Spirit who will guide us in what to say or do.|For the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time we hear the story from Mark's Gospel about two of Jesus' closest friends, James and John, who want seats of honor in "the Kingdom" they envision for Jesus. We can almost see Jesus shake his head in dismay that they have missed his point once again. He does not let his disciples get sidetracked into jealousy but calls them together again to give them his message: "Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Daily Prayer This Week|On Sunday we see a wealthy young man who wants to follow the rules and do things right. For him, sacrifice is alright, but not if it causes pain. We see that this young man walks away from Jesus, sad and unfulfilled. It's a good place for us to begin our prayers this week, pondering the invitation from Jesus in our lives.|Whether or not we have a clear picture of where we are being called by Jesus, we can feel the invitation, the call to our hearts, in the silence. We can take just a few minutes each morning as we awaken to sit by the side of the bed and open our hands and hearts and pray, "Jesus, in this quiet moment, I feel my heart being drawn to you. Help me to see this day where you are calling me."|We can repeat this small act on our way to work, taking our children to school and walking to the store. "I know you are in my heart, Jesus. I know you are calling me this day, but my heart is not always open to listen. Help me to answer your call today. At the end of this day, help me to be joyful in answering your call through those in my life."|So many of the stories this week are clashes between Jesus and the Pharisees. We can ask ourselves:|Where in my life do I worry more about appearances than I do the poor who are in front of me? Who are "the poor" in my life? Who are the outcasts, the unpopular or the rejected people I see each day? How can I minister to those people and be a leaven in this world?|At the end of each day this week, we can be grateful for the many opportunities we were given to follow along with Jesus. We can ask the Holy Spirit to help us see the invitation in our lives every day and ask for the clarity to recognize "the poor." When I see the poor, the outcasts, those whose health or habits make them unappealing, do I love them the way Jesus would? Can I look at the brusque and rude people in my life as people Jesus would have gravitated toward, sensing how much they need love?|Lord, fill my heart with your love and let me sing for joy! Let your mercy come to me and let me spread that joy and mercy to all those in my life. My heart feels so tight and closed some times. I can only beg you to open it to a new level of generosity and love. I cannot do this alone but nothing is impossible for you.
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University Ministry, Creighton University.
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