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Gospel Reading for May 27, 2024 – Mark 10: 17-27
AMASSING WEALTH
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness;you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.” He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement, his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For men it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”
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The man wanted so much to inherit eternal life and thought that following the commandments was enough. To follow Jesus is not just to follow the Commandments but to go out of our way to share what we have with those in need. Isn’t this too much? Is being righteous not enough? We may say that we worked hard to gain the wealth we have now, and this may be true. But then again, when we come to think of it, the talents/gifts, the good health and strength, all come from God. Without these, we cannot earn a living. Besides, earning a living means to earn money needed for our basic necessities so we may live. It does not mean AMASSING WEALTH.
We can presume that the response of Jesus to the man is based on the following: 1. The reason for our existence, or the purpose of God in creating us is for us to enjoy the fullness of life as persons made in his image and likeness, in the company of other created beings and things, and with the end goal of living with Him forever; 2. No man is created for him/herself alone. We are social beings and we all are responsible for one another. Whatever gifts/talents we received from God, are meant to give us the opportunity to give our best to humanity and to the world; 3. Material wealth will not buy us a ticket to eternal life. Moreover, if there is greed for this, chances are, there will be collateral damage. We will be depriving others from living a decent life; and 4. When we leave this earth, we cannot bring anything except ourselves and our fate after death on earth depends on how we have lived our life.
Why then, is amassing wealth very important? What good would it do to us? Come to think of it, it everyone would think the way Jesus did and act accordingly, POVERTY would not be a problem in the world.
Let us ponder on the song BUHAY KO’Y PARA LANG SA `YO –
`Di maintindihan ang aking pakiramdam
kahit sagana ang buhay.
Tila may kulang pa sa daming kayamanan,
pamilya at dami ng kaibigan.
Nang Ika’y matagpuan sa aking puso,
sulit ang panahong naghanap sa `yo!
Itulot mong `di na mawalay pa sa `yo
`pagkat natagpuan kayamanan ko.
Kahit may tagumpay `di sapat kasiyahan
kulang sa lalim at halaga.
Kahit anong gawin, mundo ma’y mapasakin,
`di madama angking kapayapaan.
Nang Ika’y matagpuan sa aking puso,
sulit ang panahong naghanap sa `yo!
Itulot mong `di na mawalay pa sa `yo
`pagkat natagpuan kayamanan ko.
Itulot mong `di na mawalay pa sa `yo
`pagkat ang buhay ko’y para lang sa `yo!
PARA LANG SA `YO!
