Tuesday May 25

EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

 

A HUNDREDFOLD REWARD

 

Introduction

       “Honor the Lord with generosity… Add a smiling face to all your gifts” says the first reading. The advice of Ben Sirach is for honest persons to thank God by offering sacrifices, but God will not accept sacrifices from dishonest people, for he accepts no bribes.

      What about those who give up everything for the sake of the kingdom of heaven? They will not only “inherit heaven” but find happiness on earth in the freedom from worries about losing material goods and the inner freedom of belonging to all, in the joy of winning many brothers and sisters in the community. And curiously enough but realistically, Mark adds that they will retain their happiness and reward even in the contradictions and persecutions they encounter in their endeavors for the kingdom. One must remain free and poor within oneself.

 

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
we hold you to your promise
to those who have left everything
for the sake of your kingdom
and for the gospel of Jesus Christ your Son.
Let them be men and women
poor in the things that count on this earth
but rich with your love and your grace
and with a wealth of friends
to whom they can bring
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

Reading 1: Sir 35:1-12

To keep the law is a great oblation,
and he who observes the
commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
In works of charity one offers fine flour,
and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise.
To refrain from evil pleases the LORD,
and to avoid injustice is an atonement.
Appear not before the LORD empty-handed,
for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts.
The just one’s offering enriches the altar
and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High.
The just one’s sacrifice is most pleasing,
nor will it ever be forgotten.

In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD,
be not sparing of freewill gifts.
With each contribution show a cheerful countenance,
and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy.
Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
generously, according to your means.

For the LORD is one who always repays,
and he will give back to you sevenfold.
But offer no bribes, these he does not accept!
Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion.
For he is a God of justice,
who knows no favorites.

 

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 50:5-6, 7-8, 14 and 23

(23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Gather my faithful ones before me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim his justice;
for God himself is the judge.
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Hear, my people, and I will speak;
Israel, I will testify against you;
God, your God, am I.
Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Offer to God praise as your sacrifice
and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

 

Alleluia: Mt 11:25

Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel: Mk 10:28-31

Peter began to say to Jesus,
‘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.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

 

Intercessions

–   For all Christians, that we may be generous in serving the Lord and our neighbor, we pray:

–   For those who have dedicated their lives in the direct service of God, as priests, religious, ministers, that they may live fully in the loving hands of the Lord, we pray:

• For all Christians, that they may be joyful people, who do not lose their smile even when they meet difficulties, we pray.

 

Prayer over the Gifts

God our Father,
with bread and wine we remember him
who gave himself totally for others,
your Son Jesus Christ.
Everything was taken away from him
except the certainty that you were with him.
With him, then, we offer ourselves,
that we may belong to you
and to the brothers and sisters
you have placed on our way.
Let no trial keep us from remaining free
and from living in communion with you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
by the power of this eucharist
help us to see and to practice fully
what it means to be a disciple of Jesus:
that only when we forgive we find forgiveness,
that our thirst is quenched
when we give our neighbor to drink,
that we find consolation
when we speak words that alleviate pain,
when that we break and share bread
we will find your joy
that lasts for ever and ever.

 

Blessing

We are in the hands of God, a good God, a merciful God. We try to serve him well and entrust ourselves to him. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

Commentary

Life has not been given to us to make money, to be successful or to achieve personal well-being but to become brothers and sisters to one another. Hence, sharing what is ours with those in need is the only force for growth, the only thing that makes humanity decisively advance towards salvation.

“Look at us. We left everything and followed you.”
Really? Perhaps it reflects a lack of clear self-knowledge in Peter’s claim. He had not yet left behind his own self-reliance, or his need for prestige and position. Jesus promised them a hundredfold would be the result of leaving all for his sake and the sake of the gospel. But Peter’s observation indicates that the experience of the hundredfold had not become his own experience. Why had he apparently missed out on the experience of the hundredfold?
Perhaps, the attempt of the evangelist was to remind the catechumens, for whom he wrote his Gospel, that commitment they were about to make by receiving baptism and the sacrifices that would be asked of them in the process, will not go in vain; will never be futile.

In his conversation with the rich young man who wanted to know what should be done to inherit eternal life, the demand was to sell all what he had and give to the poor. Now, the same demand is repeated but as a statement. “Whoever has given up anything for the Gospel, will receive a hundred-fold” and “eternal life in the age to come.” The young man in yesterday’s Gospel and Peter in today’s passage share the same misconception: they think Eternal life as a reward. What shall we do so that God would reward us with eternal life!

Jesus rectifies this misconception: Eternal life is not a reward for our acts of charity and prayers. Instead, It is purely a gift of God, given freely to us. It begins when a person lets go of one’s personal choices, interests and possessions, and surrenders oneself to the life-giving God. Such a living begins very much in this world.

Today’s gospel invites us to experience the joy of sharing in the eternal life, that Jesus has promised us. It is not a life that we wait for, to begin after our death. Rather, it is a life that God shares with us here and now. The very phrase “Eternal Life”, implies that it has neither a beginning nor an end – that is the life of God. Jesus promises a share in that life when we surrender our will, interests, possessions and positions to God.