Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Mt 19: 16-22
A young man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
TRUE WORSHIP: The three things that bedevil the human heart and cause a lot of anxiety today are power, property and pleasure. In themselves these things are good and easy to go by. However, they do not present the primordial intention of the creator. Just like the children of Israel, we live in circles of sin as we keep going back to our idols. Although the young man in the gospel has obeyed all the commandments, he still remains attached to his wealth. When we misuse the our gifts, we turn to idolatry and divert our hearts from the true search of joy and happiness. Let us pray that our hearts may always be directed to the lord the most high and shun idols.
PRAYER: Lord give us the grace and courage to trust in you alone
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SEARCH FOR ETERNAL JOY: The rich young man was looking for ways and means to obtain eternal life. He goes on to clarify to Jesus as to how he kept up the rules and regulations. He was looking for happiness, joy and satisfaction in life. Even though he was kept all the commandments, he missed something. The way Jesus goes on explaining indicates that He seem to examine the personal relationships of the young man and his attitude towards the fellow human beings. The young man’s answer lies in the superficial keeping of law in an ordinary sense. But Jesus intends to demand from him a much deeper exchange of love and concern towards fellow human beings. The right attitude of loving for God lies in the compassion to the needy and the readiness to reach out to them. Only such a giving will bring joy, happiness, peace of mind and serenity of heart.
DAILY GOSPEL 