Gospel: Matthew 19:16-22
“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.
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Mass intention is for Albert Gray RIP.
Reflection:
In today’s Gospel, a rich young man approached Jesus to ask Him what good he must do to gain eternal life. Jesus asked him “Why do you ask me about the good?”. The Lord asked this not to deny that He is good, but to test the man’s faith, like what He did to the Canaanite woman who approached Him previously to cure her daughter. I guess we are in the same situation as this young man. We say our prayers regularly, we follow the Commandments, we support our parish, etc. And like this young man, the Lord is also telling us to give what we have to the poor and follow Him.
Pope Francis once said “Poverty as overcoming every kind of selfishness…teaches us to trust in God’s Providence. Poverty [is] a sign for the entire Church that it is not we who build the Kingdom of God…Christians, in their poverty, plant a seed so rich that it becomes a great tree, capable of filling the world with its fruit”.
· In Ireland, the feast of Our Lady of Knock is celebrated today. Mary is a good example of poverty. What events in her life showed her total dependence on God?
· One of Poor Clare sisters’ vows is poverty. How can you mirror their vow into your lifestyle especially during this pandemic?
· CAFOD is one our parish’s partners in reaching out to “people living in hard-to-reach places, in war zones and those who are discriminated against”. Reflect on how you support CAFOD (or other similar charities). How did your own poverty alleviate someone else’s poverty?
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word today. “I belong to You, Jesus…I want to give everything in me to You. Use me to the full” (St Teresa of Calcutta). Amen.
Fraternally,
Pietro
