Sunday Scripture Readings

Submitted on May 24, 2007

Fr. Francis X. Cleary, SJ

TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, OCTOBER 12 Wisdom 7:7-11; Psalm 90; Hebrews 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30 OUR GOOD NEWS: True and lasting happiness comes to us only through total self-giving as Jesus’ disciples. Although grouped together under the general rubric of "riches," the three units in today’s Gospel address more fundamental issues than the proper use of wealth. "As Jesus was setting out on a journey a man came running up, knelt down before him and asked, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to share in everlasting life?’" His initial behavior suggests an impetuous temperament easily discouraged and seems exaggerated — "ran up" at the final moment, "knelt" as though to a high-ranking official. His greeting, "Good Teacher," was certainly in poor taste. Using a title ("good") reserved for God in order to address a Jewish teacher was something like calling a kindly priest "our holy savior" for helpful service around the parish. Jesus had no time for foolishness and immediately cleared the air with a rebuke. "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone." He then addressed the petitioner’s question that each of us asks, and His answer was remarkable for its ordinariness. Jesus brought no secret knowledge, no magical gimmicks. Note His freedom with the biblical list of commandments. Precise order is not respected: "defraud" (cheat) added as a practical adaptation, combining prohibitions against stealing and coveting; the first three commandments pertaining to God’s honor omitted. Content matters, not rote recitation! The inquirer’s profession of careful fidelity to the Jewish law ("I have kept all these since my childhood") needn’t suggest boasting, and in his initial question ("What must I do ... ") he implicitly acknowledged that more was required for salvation than living a model Jewish life. In this, the man disagreed with Jesus’ principal adversaries, the Pharisees, for whom scrupulous observance of even minute rules guaranteed eternal reward. He thus exhibited an attitude essential for potential disciples, acknowledging a need only Jesus could fill. "Looking at him He loved him and said to him ..." Loved suggests an eternal show of affection, a remarkable manifestation of Jesus’ warm humanity. His lordly, urgent summons ("go ... sell ... give") concretely applied the total commitment demanded of every follower. Tragically, money had first claim on this person’s allegiance. He registered deep disappointment ("distressed/dismayed/gloom spread over his face"), but his priorities left no other option than to "go away." How do we respond?