Unattached

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/082117.cfm) reminds me that I should be unattached so I can follow God wholeheartedly. 

The gospel today shows us a man asking Jesus.. “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life…” Well, he certainly knew who Jesus was and was humble enough to ask Jesus what he needs to do. Jesus told him the basics – to follow the commandments. The man, pretty much like all of us, said that he is trying to do these things. We all try to be good. However he did not stop there. He knows, like we all know, that he can still improve. He knows that what he is doing is not enough. He knows that he can do more. He asked again Jesus what he still lack. Then Jesus said something harder for him to do: “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."

In Mark’s account, it says that Jesus looked at him and loved him, and told him what he needs to do. Yes, Jesus loved the man, even if Jesus knew the man was not yet ready to give up everything for Him.

Good news – if we can say that we have been doing (or at least have been trying to do) the commandments that Jesus told the man, we are on the right path. We are halfway there!

Bad news – is it not enough. There is still something lacking. Jesus wants us to be detached from material things.

Jesus is not telling us getting rich is bad. Jesus is not telling us material wealth is bad. Of course it is nice to be rich – especially if you would share your blessings to those who need it. What’s bad is the attachment to material things – money, power, fame, etc. It becomes dangerous if accumulating such becomes the goal in life – when these things become the gods ruling our lives, and we lose sight of eternity with God. This is what happened in the first reading. We see that the people have turned away from God. They forgot all the great things God has done for them, and just did what they wanted to do. they worshiped false gods. When we give too much importance to material things, then we lose the focus on God, then we forget about him and all he has done for us. 

Only when we are detached from material things can we truly focus on God and can wholly follow Him.

What am I clinging on right now? Do I follow God and want to have eternal life? What is preventing me from fully following God? Material things? A bad habit? An unhealthy relationship? Do I feel that I cannot let go of these things? Do I believe in God when he says he loves me, like he loved the man in the gospel? Do I pray to God to give me the desire to let go, and ask him to help me all the way?

May we pray that God help us and grant us the desire to follow him and let go of anything that is preventing us from fully following Him.

Father God,
Thank you for today. Thanky you for another day to live. Thank you for last weekend. Thank you for this new week you gave me. Thank you for the gospel that reminds me that you love me and you want me to be saved. Lord, sorry for being attached to worldly things. Sorry for losing focus on you. I ask that you help me have the desire in my heart – to follow you and to rid myself of anything that is hindering me from fully following you. I pray for faith – in you, your love, and your power in my life. May I live this week aware of what I should do to glorify you. This I ask in Jesus name, Amen.

Blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

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August 21, 2017
Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope
Lectionary: 419

Reading 1JGS2:11-19

The children of Israel offended the LORD by serving the Baals.
Abandoning the LORD, the God of their fathers,
who led them out of the land of Egypt,
they followed the other gods of the various nations around them,
and by their worship of these gods provoked the LORD.

Because they had thus abandoned him and served Baal and the Ashtaroth,
the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel,
and he delivered them over to plunderers who despoiled them.
He allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies round about
whom they were no longer able to withstand.
Whatever they undertook, the LORD turned into disaster for them,
as in his warning he had sworn he would do,
till they were in great distress.
Even when the LORD raised up judges to deliver them
from the power of their despoilers,
they did not listen to their judges,
but abandoned themselves to the worship of other gods.
They were quick to stray from the way their fathers had taken,
and did not follow their example of obedience
to the commandments of the LORD. 
Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge
and save them from the power of their enemies
as long as the judge lived;
it was thus the LORD took pity on their distressful cries
of affliction under their oppressors.
But when the judge died,
they would relapse and do worse than their ancestors,
following other gods in service and worship,
relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct.

Responsorial PsalmPS 106:34-35, 36-37, 39-40, 43AB AND 44

R. (4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They did not exterminate the peoples,
as the LORD had commanded them,
But mingled with the nations
and learned their works.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They served their idols,
which became a snare for them.
They sacrificed their sons 
and their daughters to demons.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They became defiled by their works,
and wanton in their crimes.
And the LORD grew angry with his people,
and abhorred his inheritance.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Many times did he rescue them,
but they embittered him with their counsels.
Yet he had regard for their affliction
when he heard their cry.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

AlleluiaMT 5:3

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMT 19:16-22

A young man approached Jesus and said,
"Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?"
He answered him, "Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
He asked him, "Which ones?"
And Jesus replied, "You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself."
The young man said to him,
"All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?"
Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me."
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.