Commentary
Sunday, 10/14/2018, Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Value of Wisdom
First Reading Commentary: Wisdom 7:7-11
What is the most valuable thing in life? When asked this question, many people will respond with something that is physical and most of those people will talk about money. They will say something like, “Having financial independence” or “Having the freedom to do whatever I want, whenever I want.”
Some people will be more specific mentioning something which they really want or need because of their given situation in life at the time. It may be physical or non-physical. They may need something like a new car or they may want better health or a new job. It takes a deeply spiritual and religious person to say something like, “Whatever God wills” or “To be with God in heaven” and mean it with sincerity.
In today’s first reading from Wisdom, we learn that nothing of this world has any real value with God but that which is in our hearts which means everything to God. Today’s first reading is about God appearing to King Solomon in a dream in 1 Kings 3:5 and God says, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”
The young King asked God for a wise and understanding heart to judge, God’s people and to able to distinguish the difference between right and wrong. God was so impressed with the King’s humility and desire to do God’s Will that He promised to not only grant Solomon’s request but to bestow much more on him.
Sometimes, we feel as though our prayers are not being answered. But often times, that is because our prayers have selfish intentions. We pray for what we want. Never mind what God has planned. But when our prayers are in sync with what God has planned for us, He gives us much more than we need and much more than what we ask for. That is exactly what God did with King Solomon.
God gave King Solomon a heart which was so wise and understanding that there never was and never would be another king like him. In addition, God gave the king what he did not ask for—riches and glory above any other king. The only thing that King Solomon had to do was follow God’s statutes and commandments.
In today’s reading, we see the value that King Solomon placed on God’s gift of wisdom. It was number one in his life—nothing was more endearing to him. In fact, Solomon saw God’s wisdom as the reason for everything else that came to him.
We have had many readings on this subject and I have commented on the idea of keeping our prayers in sync with God’s plans many times. But what we see happen with King Solomon and that last sentence of today’s reading from Wisdom sends an added profound message.
When we pray with sincerity, humility and unselfishness; everything good that comes to us which is over and above what we specifically asked for; is another answer to our prayer—an added gift from God.
Look Forward to the Moment
Second Reading Commentary: Hebrews 4:12-13
Can you remember when you were growing up, and a parent or guardian or teacher would ask you if you did something that you were not supposed to do? Can you remember not wanting to admit to it but you had no choice because they already knew the answer? They already knew all about it. If you denied it, you got double the punishment. Can you remember sometimes wondering, how they knew that?
Well that is the way it is with God. He knows everything and there is no sense in trying to hide our guilt from Him. Adam tried to do that when he blamed Eve for his sin. In fact, Adam tried to even blame God by saying, “The woman whom you put here with me—she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it.” Genesis 3:12 Because of Adam’s mistake, we all come into the world with the stain of original sin.
Today’s reading from Hebrews reminds us of Adam and Eve in the garden and it also reminds us of the King of Kings in Revelations 19:11-16. The image which is given to us of God’s Word in Hebrews today is the same image which is given to us of the King of Kings in Revelations.
We cannot hide from God and we are all naked in the eyes of God to whom we must give an account for our actions in this life. This is a very different message from that in today’s first reading but there is a reason for putting the two together. King Solomon had great faith in the wisdom of God’s Word and for that, he was rewarded with much more than what he asked for and in return, he was only asked to follow God’s statutes and commandments.
When we accept God’s Word in faith and live according to His Will, we too are rewarded with much more than we may ask for in this life. Have you ever had something pop up out of the blue and the only explanation that you could give for it was that it was a blessing? It truly was. But the greatest reward and the greatest blessing of all is being granted eternal peace, joy and happiness together with God in in His Kingdom of Heaven.
God does not want us to be afraid of the last day when we meet the King of Kings. God wants us to look forward to meeting the King of Kings—Jesus wants us to look forward to meeting Him and being with Him. When we are able to look forward to that moment, we can also look forward to rendering an account for our lives.
We Must Be Willing to Sacrifice
Gospel Commentary: Mark 10:17-30
Today, we hear Mark’s account of Jesus being approached by a man who asked Him, “Good Teacher, what good must I do to inherit eternal life.” Jesus said, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.” Jesus was making reference to His Father. We know that Jesus is the second person of the Trinity and therefore, God and therefore, good. But Jesus chose not to declare His divinity or goodness in answering this man’s question. Jesus used His humility to emphasize that nothing is more important than getting to the Father.
Jesus knew that the man knew the commandments. Still, Jesus gave the man six commandments. According to Mark, they were: You shall not murder, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, defraud and finally, you shall honor your father and mother.
Notice that all of these commandments apply to the Second Greatest Commandment: Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. In effect, Jesus was telling the man to obey that commandment.
The man said that he had observed them since his youth. Jesus looked at the man and loved him. Jesus wanted this man to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven as He wants all of us share that inheritance.
But this man was not living out the Second Greatest Commandment to its fullest so Jesus told the man that he lacked one thing. Then Jesus told the man to sell everything and give it to the poor and that he would have treasure in heaven. Jesus added, “Then come, follow me.” After hearing this, Mark tells us that the man went away shocked and grieving because he had many possessions.
Does this mean that rich people cannot go to heaven? Of course not. But for some people, financial wealth and material possessions; are number one in their lives. They may declare themselves to be good people and many of them truly are. But they are not willing to make meaningful sacrifices for the greater glory of God. For some of these people, it is not that they are unwilling to help their neighbor—they are just unwilling to let go of what they have so they become blind to the treasure of heaven. That is what happened to this man and that is why he grieved.
The lesson that Jesus teaches in this gospel is that nothing of this world is more important than following Him so that we can be with Him and the Father in heaven.
Jesus said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!...It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” The disciples were greatly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?”
This question of the disciples assumes that everyone is rich. It also assumes that anyone who is rich cannot go to heaven, therefore, no one can get there. I am not rich but that does not stop me from wanting to get to heaven. How about you—do you want to get to heaven?
The question in the gospel also suggests that at least some of the disciples may have walked away sad like this man did. That’s because some of the people in the crowd that day were uncommitted to following Jesus regardless of their wealth. They had some things to learn. But Jesus is the greatest of all teachers.
Jesus said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.” The lesson of this gospel is that we cannot get to heaven by our own power no matter how much we may have or how much we obey the commandments. There are people in this world who follow the commandments but, like the man in this gospel, that does not mean that they follow God. Some of them don’t even believe in God, they just happen to do good things.
We cannot get to heaven without God’s help. Therefore, we must listen to the Son as the Father commanded at the Transfiguration of Jesus. Mark 9:2-10 In a humble and indirect way, Jesus is telling us that in this gospel.
Peter said to Jesus, “We have left everything and followed you.” Peter was speaking for the Twelve when he said this. This is significant as Peter is beginning to speak on behalf of the twelve disciples and it is he who would later become the Rock and the first Pope.
Jesus promised that anyone who gave up everything for the sake of His name would receive a hundred times more and would inherit eternal life. The joy of eternal life and being with God is the treasure of heaven.
But don’t try to beat everybody else there. We are not in a race against each other—we should be helping each other get to heaven. Don’t think that you deserve a better place in heaven than your neighbor. You are not the judge of how great your neighbor’s faith is compared to your own. Don’t think that your sacrifice is greater than your neighbor’s. Remember the poor widow’s contribution in Luke 21:1-4. Then remember Jesus saying that she had put in more than all of the rest because she gave from her poverty.
When we meditate on this gospel, we have to ask ourselves the questions, “How much is heaven worth to me? And, what am I willing to sacrifice to inherit eternal life?” Then we must remember that Jesus gave everything for us!
