MONDAY OF THE EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mk 10:17-27) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mk 10:23)

FIRST READING - Sirach 17:20-24

A reading from the Book of Sirach

To the penitent God provides a way back,

he encourages those who are losing hope

and has chosen for them the lot of truth.

Return to him and give up sin,

pray to the LORD and make your offenses few.

Turn again to the Most High and away from your sin,

hate intensely what he loathes,

and know the justice and judgments of God,

Stand firm in the way set before you,

in prayer to the Most High God.

Who in the nether world can glorify the Most High

in place of the living who offer their praise?

Dwell no longer in the error of the ungodly,

but offer your praise before death.

No more can the dead give praise

than those who have never lived;

You who are alive and well

shall praise and glorify God in his mercies.

How great the mercy of the LORD,

his forgiveness of those who return to him!

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mark 10:17-27

From the Gospel according to Mark

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.”

MONDAY OF THE EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mk 10:17-27)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today's Word of God reminds humankind to aim for our ultimate goal: '"What must I do to inherit eternal life?"' Jesus came down to earth to become a human being to save humanity.

He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. His path of salvation is the path of the Cross: He had to give up all the glory of Heaven, come down to earth to become a human being and live like a human being, except for sin. He had to suffer, be condemned, and die. Then He was resurrected in the glory of God the Father.

In today's Gospel, God teaches everyone in the world to always aim for the ultimate goal of eternal life, and not just think about the pleasures of this world, because they do not last. Keep God's commandments. Put into practice the commandments of loving God and loving others, being charitable to others, loving each other, and giving everything, not keeping anything for ourselves, We enter this world with empty hands, and when we go home to God we will bring nothing but our souls to appear before the just and fair judgment of the Supreme God. We will then enter the place of purification to have our souls cleansed and purified so that we will be worthy to enjoy the Holy Presence of God.

Therefore, all that God gives—money, wealth, and material things in this world is to serve people, not to make people slaves to us. What God warns everyone here is to seek treasures in heaven. That is eternal life, which no one can take away. We must learn to love, give, and sacrifice ourselves, just like Jesus. He had to die to save humanity from the control of Satan.

Today, Satan is rampant throughout the world, controlling humans and tempting us to become slaves to money and material things, so that humankind worships them and forgets God. God is the God of the poor, the abandoned, and the forgotten. He knows how His children are treating His children of the poor.

Today, the Spirit of the Holy Trinity covers where humans live according to God's teachings. Therefore, God calls on all members of the Church and society, especially the shepherds of God the Father to seek eternal life, seek God’s Holy Spirit, and take good care of the flock that God the Father has entrusted, to care for each of the poor, not only to build large material facilities but also by caring for the sheep who are hungry in both soul and body, and the sheep who are being trampled by fierce wolves.

The plan of the Holy Spirit is revealed at the House of God the Father, where He shows humanity how to choose eternal life, how to give up worldly desires to live a holy life here on earth, how to examine ourselves to acknowledge our sins, abandon sins, and atone for our sins right here on earth so that we can live a holy life that will surely grasp the reward of the Kingdom of Heaven in the future.

Thanks be to God. Amen.