Radicality of the call:
a. Sell=detachment; Vows and other ways
b. Give=Availability; ministries and other services
c. Come=Discipleship; Following in the footsteps of Jesus
The habits/cassocks, the medals and congregational symbols are more ecclesial and social symbols than discipleship. We can easily be caught up in them and be fooled into believing that we are following the Lord as disciples.
Discipleship, I believe, lies simply in living those three words.
-TK
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Prayer of Thomas Merton: (He was orphaned, became a communist, took up a job as editor of New York times and at 26 found Christ and left for Kentucky carrying in a duffel bag all that he owned to become a monk. He leaves behind his story of finding Christ in this prayer.)
“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”
******
Michel DeVerteuil
Textual Comments
– verses 17 to 22: the story of Jesus and the wealthy man;
– verses 23 to 27: a teaching of Jesus on wealth, although the phrase “he looked around” invites us to read this second section as a commentary on what happened in the first section.
Be creative in interpreting the words “inherit eternal life” as entering into a deeper kind of life through prayer and the following of Jesus, but also through deep relationships with other people, or involvement with some noble cause.
The wealthy man is the model of the one who wants to enter into this deeper life the easy way, by drawing up a list of commandments – things to do and things to avoid – but eventually learns that the only way is to take the risk of leaving all and following one’s Lord. Feel the pathos of the ending of verse 22, remembering those who live with regrets for not having taken the risk at a certain point in their lives.Jesus is the teacher, the leader or spiritual guide who is humble but firm and invites the man to make the leap of faith, not coldly or objectively, but himself getting emotionally involved with the man and taking the risk of rejection.
The wealthy man can be for you a model of a community as well as a person; a nation, perhaps, or our modern civilization. Jesus can be a model of a great national leader or of the Church as a whole.
Enter into the teaching on wealth as a journey, the first statement causing consternation, the second even more, and the third more still. Focus on the disciples, remembering when you understood for the first time how you had let yourself be influenced by the false values of the world; or then focus on Jesus, free in himself and his vision clear, so that he can stand by his values in the face of any opposition. Note however his gentleness and compassion even as he makes demands on others.
Scriptural Prayer
Lord, we thank you for the deep relationships we have entered into through your grace –
with one of our children, a spouse, an intimate friend, a leader –
the kind of relationship that has given a new quality to our lives.
People sometimes think they can run and kneel before someone
and say “You are a good person; what must I do to have s deeprelationship with you?”
But as we know, it cannot happen like that;
it isn’t a matter of someone being good, because only God is good;
not of learning off by heart a list of things to do.
Something is still lacking:
to experience that someone is looking deep into our souls and loving us,
to feel that we could sell everything we own and distribute the money to the poor,
because nothing in the whole world is more important than being with that person.
Of course, many people’s faces fall at this point,
because they have things which they cannot let go,
and so they go away sad, with a sadness that nothing will ever cure.
“If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.” Martin Luther King
Lord, how many people go away sad
because they have never left everything to follow a noble cause.
A modern poet once said, “Traveller, there is no path: paths are made by walking.”
Lord, forgive us that we use the commandments as an excuse
for not stepping out in faith.
Lord, help those of us who have authority in the Church to be more like Jesus.
When people run up and kneel before us
asking what they must do to inherit eternal life,
we let our authority go to our heads;
we rattle off a list of commandments that Christians have learnt from their earliest years,
when, like Jesus, we should invite them simply to walk with us.
But that requires an inner freedom on our part,
because the faces of some will fall when they hear our words,
especially those who have great wealth.
Lord, we thank you for the spiritual journey you have led us on.
When we first began to follow Jesus seriously we were anxious to acquire many virtues.
Then, one day, quite suddenly, we realised how self-righteous we had become:
* we found ourselves condemning others;
* we heard a sermon on humility which touched us;
* someone we had thought of as a sinner appeared to us as deeply spiritual.
It was as if Jesus had looked round at us and said to us,
“How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”
It was an insight that astounded us and it took us several weeks to accept it.
Lord, we thank you that you insisted.
Lord, when we see the pitfalls in the way of true holiness,
and how even the virtuous find it difficult to enter there,we wonder, can anyone be saved.
But that is a moment of grace
because we understand then that spiritual growth is your work,
and everything is possible for you.
Lord, some nations in the world today have become very wealthy;
no nation in history was ever as wealthy as they are.
Yet their very wealth makes it impossible for them to become caring and sharing communities,
and they go away sad because they cannot give up their present lifestyle.
We thank you that our Pope and many other religious leaders
have watched carefully what is happening there,
and have turned round to warn us of the dangers of making economic growth our primary goal.
Many are astounded because their own deepest aspiration
is to become wealthy nations in their turn;
but our leaders must insist
that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for a wealthy nation to enter your kingdom.
Not that it is not possible – because all things are possible to you.
*************************************
Thomas O’Loughlin
Introduction to the Celebration
The Spirit living within each of us has gathered us together here. Now the Spirit unites us in Jesus Christ, and in union with him we are here to offer our praise and petition to our Father in heaven. Let us reflect on the mystery of the Spirit moving us towards Jesus. Let us reflect on the mystery of being united in Christ, forming on earth his holy body. Let us reflect on the mystery that we are about to offer thanks to the Father through sharing in the sacred banquet.
Homily Notes
1. The sadness of the rich young man who goes away from Jesus is something that every one of us should be able to identify with to some extent. We know what it would take build the kingdom of God, to pursue holiness, and to create a culture of love – but it just seems too much. There are too many other commitments, so many urgent things to be seen to first, too much disruption to break the patterns of a lifetime, and the fear that one might just be thought a nutter! To take discipleship really seriously – when most people in our society think that religion is just a private affair for ‘the religious’, and indeed there will be several in our own families and immediate circle who take a similar view – seems just a little too ‘over the top.’
2. Yet it can be done, and it has been done, and it is being done!3. We can only have the energy, the strength, the joy to follow the path of discipleship if we ask the Father in prayer. For us alone, it is impossible to live as disciples; but if we ask for the Father’s gifts of strength, and energy, and joy, then it is possible’ because everything is possible for God’.
4. Instead of going away sorrowful, we are called to stay and pray for the help we need to be disciples.
5. This ‘help,’ this ‘strength,’ this ‘energy,’ this ‘joy’ is what in traditional western jargon has been given the name ‘grace’ -but using that word is not helpful in preaching: it is religious jargon that has become so debased through controversy that it obscures more than it reveals to the average listener. So avoid the term ‘grace’ and use a series of words with a common meaning in its place.
6. This need for the Spirit’s help and presence if we are to follow Jesus’ path to the Father points out three other important truths:
First, the life that the young man could not follow is not something that can be partitioned off from the rest of life: it is not something that is for a special group of devotees such as nuns or monks; nor for just one or two aspects of life. Everyone is called to set out on this journey, what it involves is different for each of us. What is common is that it involves every aspect of our lives: every part of our lives can contribute to the kingdom, and every aspect can contribute to its frustration.
Second, following Jesus is not simply taking on a philosophy of life or picking a particular path towards self-improvement. It is the opposite of the lifestyle guides found under the heading of ‘body-mind-spirit’ in an airport bookshop. To set out on the pilgrimage of faith is to establish a relationship with God and with others. This life is impossible without the gifts of God’s help, strength, energy, and joy that come within this relationship of prayer by which we respond to the invitation to follow Jesus.
Third, we tend to think of prayer as a only ’private’ thing – indeed, some people abandon fasting and prayer saying they would rather do something ‘positive’ for others. This idea fails to appreciate our situation as human beings. The rich young man could not bring himself to care for the poor, and most of us today find it just as difficult. In order to serve other humans, we need to ask the Father for his help and strength, far from removing us from concern for others, opens us up to God and God’s energy opens us up to others.
7. This gospel’s message is not an easy one. We have to accept our weaknesses and we have to turn towards the Father in prayer, and then embrace change with his strengthening help. We can make a fresh start in a few moments in the Prayer of the Faithful.
**********************************
Sean Goan
Gospel
The demands of discipleship and the need to deny oneself in order to become a servant or a slave have already been mentioned in this part of Mark’s gospel. Now in this story we are presented with a drama that puts flesh on that teaching. A rich man approaches Jesus to ask what must he do to inherit eternal life. He is given the basic answer which requires that he keep the commandments. However, as a practising Jew this is something he would already have known and clearly he is aware that something is still lacking in his life. Jesus senses his hunger and puts a radical challenge to him. He must rid himself of the attachment to wealth, wherein lies his security and social status, and trust himself completely to God by following Jesus. The man becomes sad and the onlookers are shocked as Jesus states that wealth is an obstacle to the true reception of the kingdom.
For them wealth was considered a sign of divine favour but Jesus insists that it is a barrier and this is because the ideal of love — the driving force of the kingdom — goes beyond the keeping of commandments and demands that we empty ourselves of our attachments in order to become the servant of others. This is not just for the chosen few but part and parcel of the Christian vocation. Clearly we are not all asked to become St Francis of Assisi but we should be careful not to skip over this passage as though it were not intended for us. The challenge of detachment is one for every follower of Jesus.Reflection
Since the Second Vatican Council Catholics have been called upon to read and pray the scriptures for, as St Jerome said, ‘Ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ.’ Thankfully many have responded to this call and have found their faith life enriched beyond measure and have discovered that the word of God is indeed alive and active. Sadly for many others the Bible is still a closed book. Let us pray for and work towards that day when all Catholics will feel at home taking up their Bible in order to deepen their relationship with the living God.
******
From the Connections:
And, as Mark describes it, the man’s face fell and “he went away sad.” He can’t bring himself to do it. His faith is not strong enough to give up the treasure he possesses for the “treasure in heaven.” The young man walks away, sad certainly, and perhaps feeling even somewhat disillusioned that his hero Jesus is not what he thought and hoped he would be.
Then Jesus, speaking to his disciples, turns another Jewish belief upside down. Popular Jewish morality was simple: prosperity was a sign that one had found favor with God. There was a definite “respectability” to being perceived as wealthy and rich (how little things have changed). Great wealth, Jesus points out, is actually a hindrance to heaven: Rich people tend to look at things in terms of price, of value, of the “bottom line.” Jesus preaches detachment from things in order to become completely attached to the life and love of God.
Throughout the Gospel, Jesus points to the inadequacy of viewing religion as a series of codes and laws. The young man was no different than his contemporaries in seeing one’s relationship with God as based on a series of negatives (“you shall not”). Discipleship is not based on NOT doing and avoiding but on DOING and acting in the love of God. Jesus calls us not to follow a code of conduct but, rather, to embrace the Spirit that gives meaning and purpose to the great commandment.
HOMILY POINTS:
To be a person of faith demands not simply a matter of avoiding what is bad (“you shall NOT”) but the much harder work of seeking out and embracing what is of God: mercy, justice, compassion, reconciliation (“you SHALL”).
Today’s Gospel challenges us to consider how we use wealth and the power it has in our lives. Wealth should enable us to live life to the fullest; but too often what we have can weigh us down, preventing us from moving on with our lives — the prosperity that should enable our journey becomes more important than the journey itself.
Wealth is seductive: what we consume can consume us – we can be swallowed up in our pursuit of wealth, prestige and power, becoming immune to the joy of the human experience. Whatever we possess that inhibits us from embracing the love of God to the fullest is a curse, not a blessing.
Discipleship demands more than token offerings and the rote adherence to rituals and traditions – our baptism into the life of Christ compels us to focus every dimension of our lives on the things of God.
Jesus asks everything of us as the cost of being his disciple — but Jesus asks only what we have, not what we don’t have. Each one of us possesses talents and resources, skills and assets that we have been given by God for the work of making the kingdom of God a reality in the here and now.
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus replied, “Go to the local playground and help set up an after-school program for kids at risk.”
The baseball star’s face fell, and he went away sad, because his focus was on the making it to the majors.
The owner of a small business asked Jesus:
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said, “Go and create job opportunities for those who have lost their jobs and whose families are struggling.”
The business owner’s face fell, and he went away sad, because he was barely keeping his own company going.
A woman who had just buried her sister who had died of cancer asked Jesus:
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
With great compassion for her, Jesus said, “Go, put aside your grief for your dear sister, and give your time to help raise money for cancer research.”
The woman’s face fell, and she went away sad, because the loss of her sister was still too painful.
We know how the rich young man feels in today’s Gospel. Yes, Jesus asks everything of us as the cost of being his disciple — but Jesus asks only what we have, not what we don’t have. Each one of us possesses talents and resources, skills and assets that we have been given by God for the work of making the kingdom of God a reality in the here and now. We are often unable to choose the things of God over the things we own — things that have come to us only as a result of God’s providence. Authentic discipleship demands more than token contributions and the rote following of rituals and traditions; our baptism into the life of Christ compels us to focus every dimension of our lives on the things of God. To be the disciple of Christ we seek to become means a reordering of our priorities, a restructuring of our days to make time for the things of God. May we return to God the gifts he has given us in order to embrace eternity in the time to come.
****
ILLUSTRATIONS:
From Fr. Jude Botelho:
The first reading poses the question: Do we desire wisdom, and how much do we value it? It also reminds us in the very first verse that God is ready to give us this gift. "I prayed and understanding was given to me; I entreated and the spirit of wisdom came upon me." The reading also reminds us that wisdom is priceless, to be valued more than silver and gold. If God were to ask us to name one thing that he could grant us, what would we ask for? A good job, a beautiful house, a lucrative career, to be number one, to be healthy? All these are good and perhaps necessary. But is it what I have that is important or what I am that is important to me?
Give me your spirit of…
A story is told of a poor beggar who lived on alms he received from begging. One day on his begging rounds, he came upon a holy man, who was lost in prayer, sitting in seclusion in the forest. Approaching the holy man the beggar asked for alms. Without a second thought the holy man put his hand into his pocket took out a large precious stone and gave it to the beggar. The beggar could not believe his eyes. Before the holy man could change his mind the beggar disappeared from the scene holding on to the jewel for dear life. He clutched it so tightly his hands hurt. All along the way, he was suspicious of every one and reached his hut tense and worried. Once inside his hut he locked himself and was sure that some would come to attack him. He could not sleep at night for a moment for fear of losing the stone. He got up in the morning a mental wreck, exhausted, tense and worried. What was he going to do with this precious stone? He could not mix with others even of his own family lest they ask for it. Finally, he hurried to the holy man in the forest and quickly gave back the stone. The Holy man asked him why he was returning the precious stone. The beggar replied. "I don't want the stone it is ruining my life. But I want something else from you. When I asked you for alms, without a second thought you parted with that precious stone. Can you give me that spirit of detachment? Then I will be happy whether I have or don't have anything!"
Anon
The Gospel tells us of the encounter of the rich young man who comes to Jesus saying: "What should I do with my life? What should I do to be happy?" Questions we have often asked in the silence of our hearts. Jesus gives the young man the expected answer of his times. "Keep the commandments and you will be happy". But this good young man really wanted more. He had kept all the laws, and yet he was not happy. Maybe we have sometimes experienced the same in our lives, we have been law-abiding citizens, but there seems to be something missing in our lives. The Gospel tells us that Jesus looked at the man with love, he appreciated what he had been doing, then he went to the heart of the matter, he confronted him with what was really missing in his life. "There is one thing you lack. Go sell all you have and come follow me." What is Jesus challenging him to do? To be really happy he invites the young man to forget the minimum - keeping the law, and go for the maximum- go for it! Isn't keeping the commandments and living a good moral life enough? Yes, it is good but not good enough! To merely keep the law is a negative approach to life. What have we done positively with our lives? This is the challenge and the invitation of Jesus to the young man, this is the challenge and the invitation to you and me. To live in love! To go beyond the demands of the law to the demands of love! The last point of the gospel is the question that Peter asks: " What about us? We have left everything to follow you?" Jesus gives us his pledge: There is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, land for the sake of the Gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over in this life and in the next!"
Another Rich Young Man
Jean Vanier is internationally recognized as a humanitarian because of his care for the retarded. The son of a former Governor General of Canada, he served for a while as an officer of the Canadian Navy and later taught at the University of St. Michael's College in Toronto. But he left behind all his family’s wealth and comfortable life style to establish a family-type home for the retarded, which he named L'Arche. His hope was that it would be an Ark of refuge for the retarded in a hostile world. Under Jean Vanier's inspiration, homes similar to L'Arche have sprung up all over the world. Jean Vanier is like a modern day St. Francis of Assisi who has taken literally our Lord's words in today's gospel. "If you want to be perfect, if you want to be happy, there is one more thing you must do. Go sell what you have and give to the poor, then come follow me."
Albert Cylwicki in 'His Word Resounds'
Lacking Commitment
James Lallam tells this amusing story in one of his writings. Years ago, a young door-to-door salesman was assigned a rural area. One day he came upon a farmer seated in a rocking chair on his front porch. The young man went up to the farmer enthusiastically and said. "Sir, I have a book here that will tell you how to farm ten times better than you are doing now." The farmer didn't bother to look up. He simply kept on rocking. Finally, after a few minutes, he glanced up at the young salesman and said, "Young man, I don't need your book. I already know how to farm ten times better than I am doing now." -The story is a good illustration of what Jesus was talking about in today's gospel. The farmer was capable of farming better, but he lacked the commitment to do so. The rich young man was also capable of doing more than just keeping the commandments, but he too lacked the commitment to do so."
Mark Link in 'Sunday Homilies'
Ready to let go?
A little child was playing one day with a very valuable vase. All of a sudden, he put his hand into it and couldn't withdraw it. His father too, tried his best, but all in vain. They were thinking of breaking the vase when the father said, "Now, my son, make one more try. Open your hand and hold your fingers straight as you see me doing, and then pull." To the dad's astonishment the little fellow said, "Oh no, father. I couldn't put my fingers out like that, because if I did I would drop my penny." Many of us are like that little boy, so busy holding on to the worthless pennies of the world that we cannot accept liberation. The rich young man in today's gospel is just another example. He wanted eternal life but will not let go "the peanuts" of riches.
John Pichappilly in 'The Table of the Word’
Oh, Lord, hit him again!
A Parish Church was badly in need of repairs. So the pastor called a special meeting to raise funds. At the assembly, the pastor explained the need of an emergency fund for replacing the roof, supporting pillars and renovation in the Church. He invited the parishioners to pledge contributions. After a pause, Mr. Murphy, the richest man in the parish, volunteered to give 50 dollars. Just as he sat down, a chunk of the plaster fell from the ceiling on his head. He jumped up, looked terribly startled and said: "I meant to say 500 dollars." The congregation stood silent and stunned. Then a lone voice cried out from the back: "Oh, Lord, hit him again!"
John Pichappilly in 'The Table of the Word'
Have we got money or has money got us?
There is an old story about an 18th century man who was moving overseas. His life savings of gold and silver coins were carried in a big money belt he wore around his waist. The ship hit an iceberg and started to go down. It was sinking so fast that many people had to jump into the water and swim to the lifeboats already launched. The man jumped in, but because he could not bear the thought of leaving that heavy money belt behind, he went to the bottom of the sea. The story ends with this haunting question: "Would you say that this man had his money or that his money had him?" This story resembles today's gospel story.
The Happy Saint
As compared to the rich young man in the gospels, there is a rich, glad youth revered by people of all faiths, worldwide. Born in Assisi and baptized 'Giovanni', his wealthy father, a cloth merchant, added the name 'Francesco' and wanted him to inherit the family business. But young Francesco took Jesus' words seriously. Not only did he hand over his inheritance and fine attire to the poor, but he also embraced 'Lady Poverty' lifelong to give himself fully to God. His biography "The Perfect Joy of St. Francis” is one of the finest books ever written. Was Francis of Assisi poor? Rich? One thing is sure: he was never sad.
Francis Gonsalves in 'Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds'
******
From Fr. Tony Kadavil:
1: “It is Tough to be Billionaire.” Paul
Getty, the founder, and CEO of Getty Oil company and owner of several other
companies died at 83 of cardiac arrest in 1976, leaving his wealth, $3-4
billion, to his three sons. He was the wealthiest man of his days. Born and
brought up in the USA, he established his oil empire headquarters in London and
led the corporation for 25 years. He spoke most European languages and
understood Russian and Arabic, Latin and Greek. He married five times and
divorced his wives. He told an interviewer, “I would give all my wealth for a
successful marriage. I hate being a failure. I hate not being able to make a
success of a marriage.” He admitted that money could not buy him happiness, and
often it gave him more unhappiness. He refused to give his money to charities
arguing that it made people lazy. Besides, he saw giving money to needy people
as unrewarding and wrong. He even wrote an article called, “It is Tough
to be Billionaire.” His books are “My Life and Fortune” and “How
to be Rich.”– In today’s Gospel, Jesus advises a rich young man to share
his riches with the needy to gain eternal life and never-ending happiness. (https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/1215.html).
Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
2: Aladdin’s magic lamp and Solomon’s dream: Ala’
Ad-Din is the Arabic title of one of the best-known stories in The
Thousand and One Nights. The chief protagonist of the tale, Ala’
Ad-Din, or Aladdin, chances upon an African magician who claims to be his
uncle. At the magician’s request, Aladdin retrieves a lamp from a cave and
discovers that he can summon up powerful jinn or genies to do
his bidding. “Your wish is my command,” Aladdin is told, and he satisfies his
desires for wealth, power and long life. Aladdin’s adventures and good fortune
have left many young readers dreaming of sharing similar experiences. Imagine that
you are Aladdin and that magic lamps and genies do exist. . . what would you
ask for? — Solomon found himself in just such a situation in today’s first
reading. Although magic did not factor into the equation, God Himself appeared
to the young king Solomon in a dream, asking for his wishes. In 1 Kgs 3:5-14,
Israel’s great king was told by Yahweh in a dream: “Ask something of Me and
I will give it to you.” When Solomon asked for wisdom, i.e. for “an
understanding heart to judge the people and to distinguish right from wrong,”
he was praised by God. He had not asked for long life or riches or for the life
of his enemies; because of this he was given the gift of wisdom. (Sanchez
Archives). – He received the rest besides! Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
3: How can you trap a monkey? With a coconut, some roasted peanuts or rice and a string, tribal people living in the border of forests in Africa, Sri Lanka, and India have been trapping monkeys for centuries. At one end of the coconut, they open a hole that is big enough to allow a monkey’s hand to push inside. However, the hole is too small for a monkey to remove his hand when he makes a fist. On the other end of the coconut, a string is firmly attached and tied to a tree trunk. The coconut trap, with roasted peanuts or roasted rice inside, is placed along a monkey’s trail, and the trapper hides behind bushes with a net. The monkey smells the peanuts and is attracted to them. He puts his hand through the hole and grabs a handful of peanuts, after which it is impossible for him to remove his hand since he is unwilling to let go of the peanuts. Suddenly the trapper casts the net over the monkey and traps it. — We too are attracted by different “peanuts” that can be detrimental to our spiritual and physical pursuits. Today’s Gospel presents a rich young man who wants eternal life but will not relinquish “the peanuts” of riches. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
4: “Sir, we’ll take the one with the happy ending.” There was a father who one day took his little son to buy a puppy. When they arrived at the home where the puppies were sold … they walked around to the back yard where the puppies were. There they saw inside a fenced-in area, seven little puppies. As the Father and son looked at them .. they noticed one little puppy whose little tail was wagging faster than the tails of the other little puppies. The father then said to the owner of the puppies, “Sir, we’ll take the one with the happy ending.” –– I suppose everybody likes a story with a happy ending. When we look at the personal encounters Jesus had, while on earth, we see that most of them ended gloriously, for most often, the people who met Jesus were healed, saved and eternally changed. However, not every meeting ended so gloriously! In the Gospel Reading of today from St. Mark, we are presented with a man – young & rich – who had a personal encounter with the Jesus that ended in disappointment – “… his countenance fell, and he went away sad, …” Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
5: “Oh Lord, hit him again!” The
parish church was badly in need of repair. So the pastor called a special meeting
to raise funds. At the assembly, the pastor explained the need of an emergency
fund for plastering the roof and supporting pillars and for carrying out other
items of repair. He invited the congregation to pledge contributions. After a
brief pause, Mr. Murphy, the richest man in the parish, volunteered to give 50
dollars. Just as he sat down, a hunk of plaster fell from the ceiling on his
head. He jumped up, looked terribly startled and said: “I meant to say 500
dollars.” The congregation stood silent and stunned. Then a lone voice cried
out from the back: “Oh Lord hit him again!”
6: Andrew Carnegie made millions in the steel
industry. He worked hard helping the poor and underprivileged. Once a socialist
came to see him in his office and soon was railing against the injustice of
Carnegie having so much money. In his view, wealth was meant to be divided
equally. Carnegie asked his secretary for an assessment of everything he owned
and at the same time looked up the figures on world population. He did a little
arithmetic on a pad and then said to his secretary. “Give this gentleman l6
cents. That’s his share of my money.
7: A wealthy older gentleman had just recently
married a lovely young lady and was beginning to wonder whether she might have
married him for his money. So, he asked her, “Tell me the truth: if I lost all
my money, would you still love me?” She said reassuringly, “Oh honey, don’t be
silly. Of course, I would still love you. And I’d miss you terribly.”
#4: John MacArthur tells about sharing the Gospel with a young Muslim actor from India. At the close of their conversation, the young man bowed his head and asked Jesus into his heart. When he had finished he looked at Dr. MacArthur and said, “Isn’t it wonderful? Now I have Mohammed and Jesus too.”
33 Additional anecdotes:
1) The sin of over-consumption: Instead of glaring
accusingly at those countries struggling to control their population growth, we
must squarely attack the monster we ourselves have let ravage the world. On
average, a U.S. citizen causes over 100 times more damage to the global
environment than a person in a poor country. The average North American
consumes five times more than a Mexican, 10 times more than a Chinese person
and 30 times more than a person in India. The richest 25 percent of the world’s
population uses 86 percent of all forest products, 75 percent of energy, 72
percent of steel production. The poorest 75 percent uses only two percent of
the world’s resources. Workers in the developed world (North America, Western
Europe and Japan), represent about 20 percent of the world’s population. This
group uses over 67 percent of the natural resources consumed each year and
generates over 80 percent of its pollutants. For added perspective, the poorest
20 percent consumes about two percent of resources. (Editorial by Director of
Green Cross Fred Krueger in Green Cross, 1, Fall 1995.) Hence,
economists like to call consumerism “The Jones Effect” (as in “keeping up with
the Joneses”). Others, like Pope St. John Paul II, call consumerism one of
those “structures of sin” named “super-development,” which the pope defined as
“an excessive availability of material goods for the benefit of certain social
groups” [“Pope John Paul II Addresses Over-consumption,” Green Cross,
2 (Summer 1996), 4.] In his 1990 World Day of Peace statement, “The
Ecological Crisis: A Common Responsibility,” Pope St. John Paul II tied
“super-development” to our polluting and pillaging of the environment, and
stated most emphatically, “The ecological crisis is a moral issue.” Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
2) “Only Christians.” Willi Hoffsuemmer tells of
the founder of the Methodist Church, John Wesley, who had a dream. Wesley came
to the gates of hell and asked, “What kind of people are here, Catholics?” The
answer was, “Yes, many.” “Also, Anglicans?” “Yes, many” was the answer. “Also,
Lutherans, Baptists and Orthodox?” The answer was always the same, “Yes, many.”
And what about the Methodists?” “Also plenty,” was the answer. Wesley was upset
and also he went to the gates of heaven. He knocked at the door and asked the
same question. “Are there any Catholics here?” “No, not a single one,” was the
answer. “And Anglicans?” “No not one!” “What about Lutherans, Baptists and
Orthodox?” “No, none,” was again the answer. Finally, he dared to ask, “What
about Methodists?” “No, not a single one here.” Wesley was shocked and in
exasperation asked, “Well, what kind of people are there in Heaven anyway?” The
answer came, “Only Christians.”– Actually, what Jesus wants from each one of us
is the total, faithfully lived-out Baptismal dedication of our being to Him in
love for Him and one another: that’s what makes us Christians. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
3) A challenge to make a real commitment: James
Lallam tells this amusing story in one of his writings. Years ago, a young
door-to-door salesman was assigned a rural area. One day he came upon a farmer
seated in a rocking chair on his front porch. The young man went up to the
farmer enthusiastically and said, “Sir, I have a book here that will tell you
how to farm ten times better than you are doing now.” The farmer didn’t bother
to look up. He simply kept on rocking. Finally, after a few minutes, he glanced
up at the young salesman and said, “Young man, I don’t need your book. I
already know how to farm ten times better than I am doing now.” — The story is
a good illustration of what Jesus was talking about in today’s Gospel. The
farmer was capable of farming better, but he lacked the commitment to do so.
The rich young man was also capable of doing more than just keeping the
commandments, but he too lacked the commitment to do so. (Mark Link in
Sunday Homilies; quoted by Fr. Botelho).Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
4) “There was no other way for me to keep my loincloth.” There
is a story about an old monk who has been mentoring a young disciple. Believing
that he has the ability to be on his own, the monk allows the boy to live in a
lean-to near the river bank. Each night, happy as a lark, the young disciple
puts out his loincloth, his only possession, to dry. One morning he is dismayed
to find that it has been torn to shreds by rats. So he begs for a second
loincloth from the villagers. When the rats come to destroy that one, he gets a
cat to keep the rats away. But now he has to beg not only for food but also for
milk for the cat. To get around that, he buys a cow. But then he has to seek
food for the cow. He concludes, finally, that it would be easier to work the
land around his hut, so he leaves off his prayers and meditations, and commits
himself to growing crops to feed the cow. The operation expands. He hires
workers. He marries a wife who keeps the household running smoothly. Pretty
soon he is one of the wealthiest people in the village. Several years later the
monk comes back to find a mansion where the lean-to had been. “What is the
meaning of this?” the monk asks. The disciple replies, “Holy Father, there was
no other way for me to keep my loincloth!” (http://www.salemquincy.org/steve/00sermon/00b.prp23.htm )
Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
5) The monk and the jewels: A monk was lost in
meditation at a river bank. A rich man offered him two exquisite jewels. As
soon as the devotee left, the monk picked up the jewels and threw one of them
into the river. One of his disciples immediately jumped into the river. But he
could not find the jewel. The disciple asked the monk to point out the spot where
the jewel had fallen. The monk picked up the second jewel and tossed it into
the river, and said, “Right there.” The monk then added, “Do not allow yourself
to be owned by objects. Only then will you be free.” — Like the disciple of the
monk, the wealthy gentleman in today’s Gospel story had an inordinate love for
his possessions. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
6) Dear Abby: A few years ago, an
interchange of letters appeared in a nationally-syndicated newspaper
column. Dear Abby: We are not overly religious people, but we
do like to go to Church once in a while. It seems to me that every time we turn
around, we are hit for money. I thought religion was free. I realize that
churches have to have some money, but I think it is getting to be a racket.
Just what do Churches do with all their money? Curious in North Jersey. Abby
wrote back, Dear Curious: Even priests, ministers and rabbis
must eat. Since they work full-time at their tasks, their Churches must support
them. Staff and musicians must also be paid. Buildings must be maintained,
heated, lighted and beautified. Custodial staff members must eat and feed their
families. Most Churches engage in philanthropic work (aid to the needy,
missions, and education); hence, they have their financial obligations. Even
orchids, contrary to folklore, do not live on air. Churches can’t live on air
either. Religions, like water, may be free, but when they pipe it to you,
you’ve got to help pay for the piping. And the piper. [Abigail Van Buren,
“Religions need money too, for Heaven’s sake,” The Scranton
Tribune (30 March 1994) C-2.]. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
7) Suicide is directly proportional to wealth. Writer
and Speaker Matthew Kelly notes that the suicide rate among teens and young
adults has increased by 5,000 percent in the last fifty years. More troubling,
it is becoming increasingly apparent that suicide is directly proportional to
wealth. What does that mean? Studies reveal that the more money you have, the
more likely you are to take your own life. Peter Kreeft captured the alarming
reality in a recent article of his own: “The richer you are, the richer your
family is, and the richer your country is, the more likely it is that you will
find life so good that you will choose to blow your brains out.” Economics,
says Matthew Kelly, is clearly not a good measure of happiness. [Matthew
Kelly, The Rhythm of Life (New York: Simon & Schuster,
1999).] We know that. But how can we disentangle ourselves from the social
pressures, as well as the inner greed, that cause us to fill our lives with
material things? Jesus has the answer in today’s Gospel. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
8) Destined to drown with his treasure: There is
an old story about an 18th century man who was moving overseas. His life’s
savings of gold and silver coins were carried in a big money belt he wore
around his waist. The ship hit an iceberg and started to go down. It was
sinking so fast that many people had to jump in the water and swim to the
lifeboats already launched. The man jumped in, but because he could not bear
the thought of leaving that heavy money belt behind, he went to the bottom of
the sea. — The story ends with this haunting question: “Would you say that this
man had his money, or that his money had him?” Jesus tells the story of such a
man in today’s Gospel. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
9) Are you a Faust? The legend of Faust has
become part of our heritage. Faust was a man who longed for romance, academic
success, and wealth. Unable to find these on his own, he made a pact with the
devil. If he could be granted his wishes, have his true worth made public and
enjoy its fruits, then he would give his soul to the devil. Sure enough, he
enjoyed marvelous romances, fabulous successes, and much wealth. Oddly enough,
when the time came, he was unwilling to sustain his part of the bargain. — I
wonder if there is a parallel here. We put Jesus off, promising, “Just one more
of this and one more of that — then I will be willing to go with you, Jesus.”
Are we not like little Fausts, wanting to have it our way? After all, we say,
we deserve it! And what do we say to Jesus when He comes to claim us? Today’s
Gospel story about the rich, young man gives us a strong warning. (Thomas
Peterson in The Needle’s Eye). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
10) The Success Syndrome: Harvard Medical School
psychologist Steven Berglas has written a book called The Success
Syndrome. He has found that individuals who in his word “suffer” from
success have arrogance and a sense of aloneness. Insider-trader Dennis Levine
was asked by his wife why he needed the money from insider-trading, and he
really had no answer. Levine says that when his income was $100,000, he
hungered for $200,000, and when he was making $1 million, he hungered for $3 million.
Berglas says that oddly enough people who found that $200,000 did not make them
happy, never asked themselves why they thought $300,000 would make them happy.–
Asked to prescribe a cure for the success syndrome, Berglas said, “What’s
missing in these people (Ivan Boesky, Michael Milken, Leona Helmsley), is deep
commitment or religious activity that goes far beyond just writing a check to a
charity.” [James W. Fowler, Becoming Adult, Becoming Christian (San
Francisco: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1984), p. 88.] Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
11) The Midas touch: The ancient Greeks
understood this. According to one of their myths, the god Dionysus offered King
Midas whatever his heart desired. Without hesitation, King Midas exclaimed, “I
wish that everything I touch be turned into gold!” And so it was. Midas was
overjoyed. He drew up a handful of sand and it turned into gold dust. He picked
up a stone and it turned into gold. He touched a leaf and it was gold. “Ah, I
will become the richest man in the world, the happiest man in the world.” He
danced all the way back to his home and announced to his servants, “Prepare a
banquet. We will celebrate my good fortune.” But as the bread touched his
tongue it turned into gold and as the wine touched his lips it turned into
gold. The king became more dismayed the hungrier he got. And as he reached out
to his beautiful daughter for solace, she, alas, was also turned into gold. And
Midas cursed his gift and himself for his foolishness. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
12) Money does not give happiness: Andrew
Carnegie was one of the richest men of his time. He was also very generous.
Perhaps he explained his generosity when he said, “Millionaires seldom smile.”
We are told, by the way, that Carnegie practically became allergic to money as
he grew richer and older. He was offended, he said, just by the sight and touch
of money, and never carried any. Because he had no money with him with which to
pay the fare, Carnegie was once put off a London tram. Did money solve the
problems of Howard Hughes or Aristotle Onassis? They died two of the world’s
most miserable men. — Why invest your life in something that will only rot or
rust? Why invest in something that will someday be left behind? Why invest in
something that cannot of its own self bring you peace of mind? Study after
study has shown that money is not the key to happiness. In a recent survey of
52,000 men and women, most of whom were in the upper economic brackets, money
ranked thirteenth out of sixteen possible sources of happiness for married
women. With married men, money ranked tenth. It was ninth with single women;
seventh with single men. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
13) “I knew I should have put it in the basement instead
of the attic.” An old mountaineer was on his deathbed. He called his
wife to him. “Elviry,” he said, “go to the fireplace and take out that loose
stone under the mantle.” She did as instructed, and behind that loose stone she
found a shoe box crammed full of cash. “That’s all the money I’ve saved through
the years,” said the mountaineer. “When I go, I’m goin’ to take it with me. I
want you to take that there box up to the attic and set it by the window. I’ll
get it as I go by on my way to heaven.” His wife followed his instructions.
That night, the old mountaineer died. Several days after the funeral, his wife
remembered the shoe box. She climbed up to the attic. There it was, still full
of money, sitting by the window. “Oh,” she thought, “I knew it. I knew I should
have put it in the basement instead of the attic.” — As someone has said, “We
can’t take it with us, but we can send it on ahead.” Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
14) Earth-bound or Heaven-sent? Here are two
persons whose deaths made the papers. The first was a woman who died in London.
Her obituary was long, with a picture and bold headline. She was known as the
best-dressed woman in Europe. She had over a thousand dresses. But, said
Luccock, “in each dress she had the same unseeing eyes, the same deaf ears, the
same enameled, painted face.” The second death was also in London. This man’s
obituary was short; there was no picture. He owned but one suit, blue with a
red collar on the coat. He was William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army.
The wealthy woman invested in clothes; not worth much from an eternal
perspective. Mr. Booth invested in Kingdom commodities. Now he is enjoying the
glories of Heaven while his earthly heritage–the Salvation Army–goes marching
on in the name of Jesus. — Where are your key investments? Earth-bound or
Heaven-sent? Wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The
heavier the purse, the tighter the strings. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
15) “In God We Trust.” The year was 1861. Our
nation was engaged in a bloody civil war. Then Treasury Secretary Salmon P.
Chase sent a letter which, in part, said, “No nation can be strong except in
the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people
should be declared on our national coins.” So originated, the words “In God We
Trust” on American currency. — Why? Because what’s impossible for you and me is
totally within the realms of possibility for God, for with God nothing is
impossible. Even rich people can get in the Kingdom of God if they have the
good will to share their wealth with the needy. Thank God for His grace. That’s
the Good News in today’s Gospel. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
16) “We’ll be quiet and just watch.” Maya
Angelou tells about her Aunt Tee who worked as a housekeeper for a couple in
Bel Air, California. She lived with the couple in their spacious fourteen-room
ranch house. They were a very quiet couple. As they had gotten older they had
stopped entertaining their friends and even spoke less to each other.
“Finally,” Maya says, “they sat in a dry silence.” Aunt Tee, on the other hand,
enjoyed entertaining her friends on Saturday evenings. She would cook a pot of
pig’s feet, a pot of greens, fry chicken, make potato salad, and make banana
pudding for her friends to feast upon. And they would have a marvelous time
together. There was always plenty of laughter coming from Aunt Tee’s room. One
Saturday as they were playing cards, the old couple called her. “Theresa, we
don’t mean to disturb you…” the man whispered, “but you all seem to be having
such a good time…” The woman added, “We hear you and your friends laughing every
Saturday night, and we’d just like to watch you. We don’t want to bother you.
We’ll be quiet and just watch.” At that moment they both won Aunt Tee’s
sympathy forever. She agreed to allow them to watch her and her friends. — It
was a sad situation, since the couple owned the spacious house, complete with
swimming pool and three cars, but they had no joy in their lives. “Money and
power can liberate only if they are used to do so,” Maya reflects. “They can
imprison and inhibit more, finally, than barred windows and iron chains.” [Maya
Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now, (New York:
Random House, 1993), pp. 62-64.]. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
17) Who is he? He’s rich. Italian shoes. Tailored
suit. His money is invested. His plastic is platinum. He lives the way he
flies, first class. He’s young. He pumps away fatigue at the gym and slam-dunks
old age on the court. His belly is flat, his eyes sharp. Energy is his
trademark, and death is an eternity away. He’s powerful. If you don’t think so,
just ask him. You got questions? He’s got answers. You got problems? He’s got
solutions. You got dilemmas? He’s got opinions. He knows where he’s going, and
he’ll be there tomorrow. He’s the new generation. So the old had better pick up
the pace or pack their bags. He has mastered the three “Ps” of life today.
Prosperity. Posterity. Power. http://bethelfortsmith.org/pages/sermons/2000/sept1000]
— Who is he? He is the top salesman in his district, making it up the career
ladder. She is the rising lawyer who was just made a partner at her prestigious
law firm. He’s the successful real estate broker who has more listings than he
can handle-except he can handle them just fine. In today’s Gospel, he is the
rich young man who came to Jesus with a question. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
18) Affluenza: Back in the year 2000 the New
York Times ran an article describing the disease of “affluenza.” They
made it up, but I think it is a great word. Affluenza—the sudden wealth
syndrome, the disease everyone would like to have. Affluenza is a dysfunctional
or unhealthy relationship with money or wealth or the pursuit of it. If you
shrink the world’s population to a village of 100 people then here is what you
have: Fifty-seven would be Asians, twenty-one Europeans, fourteen Westerners,
eight Africans, fifty-one female, forty-nine male, seventy nonwhite, thirty
white, seventy non-Christian and thirty would-be Christian, but 50% of the
entire world’s wealth would be in the hands of six people and all six would be
citizens of the U.S. Of that hundred people, eighty would be living in
substandard housing. Seventy would be unable to read. Fifty would be suffering
from malnutrition. One would have a college education. Lest we think the Bible
is silent on the subject of money, I remind you that the Bible says more about
economics than any other social issue. 1. Proverbs 11:28 says, “He who trusts
in his riches shall wither.” 2. Matthew 6:9 says, “Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures on earth.” 3. In Luke 16:3, Jesus says, “You cannot serve God and
mammon.” 4. In I Timothy 3:3 Paul says, “A bishop should not be a lover of
money.” — Today’s Gospel is Jesus’ teaching on riches. It’s not money, but the
misuse of money that is the root of all evil. Abraham, Job, David, and Solomon
were very rich men. They managed large holdings for the glory of God and the
greater public good. Deborah and Lydia were very wealthy women; and God used
the first as a Judge in Israel to govern His Kingdom, and the second to help to
build His Church. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
19) Exaggerated self-importance:A small
passenger plane was cruising through the sky, carrying as its passengers a
minister, a Boy Scout, and the president of a computer manufacturing firm.
Suddenly, the engine went dead. Frantically, parachutes were passed among the
passengers. There was fast breathing, a rush of wind as the door was thrown
open. And as the plane tilted and fell through space, there came the horrible
realization that there were not enough parachutes. There was one too few. “I
have to have a parachute,” cried the pilot. “I have a wife and three kids.” So,
he grabbed a parachute, put in on and leaped into the void. The wind whistled,
and the three passengers looked at one another. “Well I certainly should have
one of the parachutes,” exclaimed the computer manufacturer. “I’m the smartest
man in the world.” And slipping his arms into the shoulder straps, he jumped
out. “Son,” said the minister wistfully, “you take the last parachute. I’m old
and ready to meet my Maker; you’re a fine youth with all your life ahead of
you.” “Relax, Reverend,” said the Boy Scout with a smile. “There’s still a
parachute for each of us. The smartest man in the world’ just jumped out
wearing my backpack.” — Today’s Gospel explains the foolishness of the rich who
are unwilling to share their blessings with the needy. (‘Quote’ – Magazine). Fr.
Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
20) Do all the good you can: Henry
Thoreau said, “Be not merely good; be good for something.” That was Jesus’
challenge to the man who wanted to know what he could do to inherit eternal
life. He had been good at making money, in being morally upright and keeping
the commandments; but that is not the ultimate good: he must also give of
himself and what he has in behalf of others. He needed to also realize that,
“The gift without the giver is bare.” John Wesley proposed an excellent guide
to goodness. He said, and he practiced what he preached: “Do all the good you
can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
At all the times you can,
As long as ever you can.”
Someone else has expressed the ideal of goodness in a
wonderful way, saying, “I expect to pass through this world but once; any good
thing therefore, that I can do, or any goodness that I can show to my fellow
creatures, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not
pass this way again.” (Clement E. Lewis, When It’s Twilight Time)
Fr. Kayala. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
21) And his face fell: A college’s star baseball
player went up to Jesus and asked: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus replied, “Go to the local playground and help set up an after-school
program for kids at risk.” The baseball star’s face fell, and he went away sad,
because his focus was on the making it to the majors. The owner of a small
business asked Jesus: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said, “Go
and create job opportunities for those who have lost their jobs and whose
families are struggling.“ The business owner’s face fell, and he went away sad,
because he was barely keeping his own company going. A woman who had just
buried her sister who had died of cancer asked Jesus: “What must I do to
inherit eternal life?” With great compassion for her, Jesus said, “Go, put
aside your grief for your dear sister, and give your time to help raise money
for cancer research.” The woman’s face fell, and she went away sad, because the
loss of her sister was still too painful. — We know how the rich young man
feels in today’s Gospel. Yes, Jesus asks everything of us as the cost of being
His disciple — but Jesus asks only what we have, not what we don’t have. Each
one of us possesses talents and resources, skills and assets that we have been
given by God for the work of making the kingdom of God a reality in the here
and now. (Fr. Kayala). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
22) Prayer of Thomas Merton: Prayer of Thomas
Merton: “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road
ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know
myself, and the fact that I think that I am following Your will does not mean
that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does
in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I
hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I
do this You will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore, will I trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the
shadow of death; I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never
leave me to face my perils alone.” (Fr. Kayala). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
23) Give me your spirit of detachment:A story is
told of a poor beggar who lived on alms he received from begging. One day on
his begging rounds, he came upon a holy man, who was lost in prayer, sitting in
seclusion in the forest. Approaching the holy man, the beggar asked for alms.
Without a second thought the holy man put his hand into his pocket took out a
large precious stone and gave it to the beggar. The beggar could not believe
his eyes. Before the holy man could change his mind, the beggar disappeared
from the scene holding on to the jewel for dear life. He clutched it so tightly
his hands hurt. All along the way, he was suspicious of everyone and reached
his hut tense and worried. Once inside his hut he locked himself and was sure
that some would come to attack him. He could not sleep at night for a moment
for fear of losing the stone. He got up in the morning a mental wreck,
exhausted, tense and worried. What was he going to do with this precious stone?
He could not mix with others even of his own family lest they ask for it.
Finally, he hurried to the holy man in the forest and quickly gave back the
stone. The Holy man asked him why he was returning the precious stone. The
beggar replied. “I don’t want the stone! It is ruining my life! But I want
something else from you. When I asked you for alms, without a second thought
you parted with that precious stone. Can you give me that spirit of detachment?
Then I will be happy whether I have or don’t have anything!”
(Anonymous; quoted by Fr. Botelho). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
24) “…Go, sell what you have and give to the poor ….”
The International L’Arche Federation and its linked
communities illustrate what happens when a lot of people respond to Jesus’
challenge to the rich young ruler, look around, discover, and begin to meet the
physical, social, spiritual, and political needs of the intellectually
challenged, not so much by ministering to as by sharing life with these
children of God, our brother and sisters. The website declares, “We believe
that people with learning disabilities have much to teach us and contribute to
the world.” To this end, “At L’Arche we celebrate people with intellectual
disabilities and build circles of support around them. We go beyond supporting
people’s basic needs. It is this focus on building relationships and
cultivating a sense of belonging that makes us different.”
“L’Arche communities hold in balance four elements:
service, community, spirituality and outreach. Experience has shown us that
each element has an important role to play. L’Arche communities around the
world share this common philosophy and approach while reflecting and
celebrating the ethnic, cultural and religious composition of the areas in
which they exist.” Inviting the intellectually or learning challenged, the
website says, “ L’Arche is a chance to live with other people, sharing a house
together and/or learn new skills in our own workshop and/or enjoy leisure activities
with support from a network of friends. L’Arche believes each person has unique
abilities and potential. If you join L’Arche, you can expect the community to
help you discover your own talents, skills and dreams, so that you can open new
doors in your life. L’Arche will invite you to build a community life which
includes celebrations, shared meals, and time with other people. There will be
many chances to help each other in a spirit of friendly relationships.”
In addition , in each house, there are about twice as many
assistants/volunteers as there are challenged members. Of these, the website
says, an Assistant can be “anyone who chooses L’Arche as a way of
enjoying a shared community life together with our members with and without
disabilities. Whether live-in or live-out, assistants are paid according to the
employment law of the country, taking into account their role and
responsibility. Communities include both volunteers and salaried employees.
Whatever their role or status, the commitment to the mission of L’Arche is
based on mutual relationships.”
Finally, L’Arche has communities world-wide. “Today there
are more than 154 communities and 19 projects in 38 countries around the world
from Belgium to Argentina, Uganda to Japan and to the United States. While
communities around the world share in the philosophy of L’Arche, each community
celebrates and lives its own cultural and spiritual expression of community. At
L’Arche, we value and celebrate the diversity within our communities…. The
experiences we have together can contribute to a better world! We want to share
our experiences, because when we bring our weaknesses and strengths together,
when we recognize we need each other, these can contribute to building a more
human society.” – Is this where the Spirit is calling you to follow Him and
serve Him? Come and see! (Adapted by Dr. Lucy Parker). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
25) The Happy Saint:As compared to the rich, sad
young man in the Gospels, there is a rich, glad youth revered by people of all
faiths, worldwide. Born in Assisi and baptized ‘Giovanni’, he was given another
name by his wealthy father, a cloth merchant, who added the name ‘Francesco’
and wanted him to inherit the family business. But young Francesco took Jesus’
words seriously. Not only did he hand over his inheritance and fine attire to
the poor, but he also embraced ‘Lady Poverty’ lifelong to give himself fully to
God. The novel by Felix Timmerman, The Perfect Joy of St. Francis is
one of the finest books ever written. Was Francis of Assisi poor? Rich? One
thing is sure: he was never sad.
(Francis Gonsalves in Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds; quoted by Fr. Botelho).Fr.
Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
26) Challenge to overcome an obstacle: In June
1997, basketball enthusiasts were thrilled to witness as an obviously
flu-stricken Michael Jordan pulled himself from his sickbed to rally his fading
energies and lead his Chicago Bulls team to a stunning victory over the Utah
Jazz. Stricken with a virus and unable to stand on his own at the end of the
game, Jordan had once more borne witness to his conviction, “…obstacles don’t
have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure
out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” For Jordan, on that
night in June of 1997, the obstacle, the wall that stood in his way, and that
he worked around, was illness. — Today’s Gospel also features a young and
gifted man who was challenged to overcome an obstacle. No doubt, his was an
obstacle with which many of us would like to be burdened, viz., riches.
Unfortunately, the young man was not up to the invitation Jesus extended to
him. His riches stood between him and a share in everlasting life. Whether or
not he eventually overcame his attachment to his wealth and opted to follow
Jesus is not ours to know. Suffice it to say, the rich man’s experience, and
others like it, should cause us to consider what stands between me and God. . .
what obstacle hinders me from becoming all that I have been called to be?
(Patricia Datchuck Sánchez). (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2os-hfXSUlA)
Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
27) The miraculously widened eye of the needle: There
is an interesting expansion of this story in the apocryphal Acts of Peter and
Andrew, probably written in the late second or early third century. The text
says that, when Peter preached on this teaching, a certain local merchant by
the name of Onesiphorus became enraged with him and physically attacked him,
saying, “Truly you are a sorcerer … for a camel cannot go through the eye of a
needle”. Peter ordered a needle to be brought (refusing a large, wide-eyed
needle that someone had offered, hoping to help him). “And after the needle had
been brought, and all of the multitude of the city was standing around
watching, Peter looked up and saw a camel coming, and ordered her to be
brought. Then he fixed the needle in the ground and cried out with a loud
voice, saying: ‘In the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius
Pilate, I order you, O camel, to go through the eye of the needle’. Then the
eye of the needle was opened like a gate, and the camel went through it, and
all the multitude saw it.” (Dr. Murray Watson) Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
28) Wise rich people: In history we see many
people who used their wealth as means to glorifying God. Joseph Leek left
nearly $1.8 million to an organization that provides guide dogs for the blind,
and nobody, not even his own family, had any idea that he had that kind of
money. The 90-year-old Britisher lived like a pauper. He watched television at
a neighbor’s house to save on electricity, put off home repairs, and bought
second-hand clothes. Rev. Vertrue Sharp raised hay and cattle preached and taught,
while saving every penny he made. When he died in 1999, he left an estate of $2
million to the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, the University of Tennessee
Medical Center, and other charities. English spinster, Mary Guthrie Essame was
a retired nurse who lived in an old Victorian house and who clad herself in
such worn clothes and old shoes that no one knew how well off she was.
Neighbours were shocked to learn that her estate amounted to a whopping $10
million when she died in January 2002. (The money was left to a host of
charities.). Benjamin Guggenheim, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was an
heir in the wealthy Guggenheim family. He took up the family mining business,
gaining the nickname “the Silver Prince”. Returning from a trip to Europe, he
decided to sail back to New York on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. Late
on the night of April 14, 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg and began to
sink. Guggenheim and his secretary dressed in their finest evening clothes and
assisted women and children with getting on the lifeboats. He told a crew
member, “We’ve dressed up in our best and are prepared to go down like
gentlemen.” Guggenheim asked a crew member to deliver a message to his wife
Florette. “If anything should happen to me, tell my wife in New York that I’ve
done my best in doing my duty.”– Jesus’ challenge to the young man exposed two
missing pieces in the rich man’s life: a sense of compassion for the poor and
the willingness to share his blessings with the needy. (Fr. Bobby Jose).Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
29) “Take back your coins and give back my songs.” The
French have a story about a millionaire, who spent his days counting his gold
coins. Beside his palace was a poor cobbler who spent his days singing as he
repaired people’s shoes. The joyful singing irritated the rich man. One day he
decided to give some gold coins to the cobbler. At first the cobbler was
overjoyed, and he took the coins and hid them. But then he worried about the
coin and was constantly going back to make sure the coins were still there.
Then he worried in case someone had seen him and might steal the coins.
Consequently, he ceased to sing. Then one day he realized that he had ceased to
sing because of the gold coins. He took them back to the rich man and said,
“Take back your coins and give me back my songs.” — Inordinate attachment to
riches can take away our freedom and joy. (Gerry Pierse, Detachment and
Freedom).Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
30) Heroic poverty that St. Francis and St. Clare: As
we know very well, St. Francis of Assisi found complete freedom and joy only
when he gave up all his possessions. Clare of Assisi agreed. When this noble
young fellow-townsman of St. Francis first heard Francis preach on the Gospel
invitation “sell what we have and give to the poor,” she was fired with the
same desire to put her life and her needs wholly in the hands of God. Why spend
our lives trying to push a camel through the eye of a needle? Francis assisted
her in her decision and she became the foundress of the first convent of
Franciscans of the Second Order, commonly called the “Poor Clares.” Her nuns
could not go forth from the convent on apostolic missions as the Franciscan
friars did. But they could practice within the convent walls the most drastic
poverty. Clare’s reward, like that of Francis, was a radiant sense of
liberation. She emptied herself, and then asked God, as we do in today’s
response, “Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!” When she
finally came to the end of her life of poverty, penance, and prayer, Clare bore
her last illness with sublime patience. One day she was heard to say to
herself, “Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth
without fear, for He that created you has sanctified you, has always protected
you, and loves you like a mother.” “Blessed be you, O God,” she exclaimed, “for
having created me!”– God does not call all of us to the heroic poverty that St.
Francis and St. Clare practiced. But even if we do become poor, whether through
vow or through financial loss, there is one possession we can never be deprived
of: the gift of being – and of being ourselves and nobody else. For that gift
we can always sing for joy and gladness! –(Fr. Robert F. McNamara). Fr.
Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
31) The eye of the needle: There is a
legend that says that there was a gate called ‘the eye of the needle’ that
led into the holy city of Jerusalem. This gate was actually shaped like the eye
of a needle and a camel walking upright could not pass through it. However, if
the camel stooped and had all its baggage removed, it could pass through the
entrance. After dark, when the main gates were shut, travelers would have to
use this smaller gate, through which the camel could only enter unencumbered
and crawling on its knees! — The idea here is to show that we must
humble ourselves, become free of our worldly goods, and be unburdened by sins
to pass into the Kingdom of Heaven. It also implies that even rich people can
get into heaven provided they approach God on their knees without all their
baggage. “Travel light on your life-long journey to the Kingdom of
Heaven!” (Fr. Lakra). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
32) The Man Who Went to Hell With Heaven on His Mind.
Does that really happen? We certainly can not judge, we know, for only God can
read the human heart and we are not God! The Church tells us that we can not
know the final fate of anyone. For Saints and Heaven, she has a rigorous
process of testing for heroic virtue and will proclaim people as eing in
Heaven, but does not claim that any human being has gone to Hell whatever sins
may have been committed, not even Judas Iscariot – who
betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, tried to undo that betrayal by
returning the money and, horrified by what he had done hanged himself in what
looks like despair – Matt. 26:49, Acts 1:25. As for Felix,
the governor, he listened to Paul frequently but made no decision; his future
life may have led him to conversion (Acts 24:25) King Herod
Agrippa and his wife Bernice also listened to Paul and concluded,
with Festus, (the new Governor who had at first responded to
Paul’s defense as madness brought on by too great learning), that he could have
been released, exept that he had appealed to Rome, that he had done nothing to
deserve death or imprisonment, an attitude that may well have led him, his wife
Berenice and Festus to come to belief later– Acts 26:24, 30. — In this text,
the young man who comes to Jesus seeking to do more than just keep the Commandments
and desiring to be His disciple it seems. But when Jesus tells him, “If you
want to be perfect, sgo sell what you have, give to the poor, and come, follow
Me, he turns away “sad” because he does not want to let go of his riches. Jesus
was concerned about him and identified his riches as a real obstacle, but that
could well have changed later. We can hope, and pray, that this young man,
touched by Jesus, rethought his priorities and came later to the Church and so
to Jesus again. For ourselves, the same challenge rises. Will we come to Him?
Will we say yes? Will we take the second and third and thousancth chance Jesus
gives us and receive His Love fully by giving Him our selves? When? The sooner
we do, the happier we will be! Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
33) Why Americans are rich,when compared to the majority of world’s population? Americans are rich, compared with the rest of the world. Fifty-six percent of the world’s population, or 3.4 billion people, live in extreme poverty. They survive on an income of less than $730.00 per year or $2.00 per day. Half of that number lives, or 1.7 billion people, live on less than $1.00 per day. At minimum wage, the average American worker earns over fifty times more than that. The average American spends $0.20 per day on cosmetics, perfume, and skin and hair products; over $0.50 on jewelry; nearly $3.00 on furniture and household goods; over $3.00 per day on clothing; over $6.00 per day gambling; $7.00 per day on automobiles; and over $9.00 per day on food. Over three billion people got up this morning not knowing where their next meal was coming from. Many do not have adequate clothing and shelter. Yet, most of us got up today with a good home, plenty of clothing, some money and enough food to keep us alive for many days. If you compare yourself to some people you know, you might not think you are rich, but the fact is, you are. — Our financial problems like our debts and our payments would be welcomed luxuries by most of the world’s population. Jesus in today’s Gospel challenges the rich countries to share their resources generously with the poor countries. (SNB). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
2) Shot in the Wallet
In all the ways you can,
At all the times you can,
6) We Want It Our Way
