Mark 10:17-31 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
The Rich Man. 17 As he 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?” 18 Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 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.’” 20 He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” 21 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.” 22 At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 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! 25 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.” 26 They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel 30 who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many that are first will be last, and [the] last will be first.”
Comments
Three men receive a large sum of money and want to give the money away
1. First - talks and talks but gives nothing away
2. Second- man gives away money and is proud of it - He decided how much to give , how to give
3. Third - does not know God’s will yet and holds on to the money waiting for God to reveal his will
the ideal disciple - puts all of it at the feet of God - did not presume that he knew the mind of God
We are called to give everything away - away to God
Hold on to your gifts and wait for God’s guidance to give
Reflections
I always imagined that Jesus might have a different calling for me in my 50s.
I have been listening for the calling for almost eight years.
I am still waiting on a calling for a different vocation.
God has spoken big things in my life during my 50s - just not a new job / vocation.
When I have sensed a calling, then there have been unmistakable signs that the calling was not God’s calling for me.
I am trying to be the patient third person in Ignatius parable, but it is trying to wait.