Sunday, October 11, 2009
The Glorious Mysteries
Wisdom 7:7-11
Psalm 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
Hebrews 4:12-13
Mark 10:17-30 or 10:17-27
It’s like shopping for that newest laptop computer, or car, or phone, or any other new-fangled gadget of the year…. We can go from store to store, looking for the best bargain but still prepared to pay an arm and a leg to obtain it, convinced that this one thing will make us so very happy. Once we have it, the pleasure fades rather quickly, and the search begins all over again.
Searching for fulfillment in life is something like that. A lot of people think they'll find happiness in a job or career that makes "big bucks." Then, we read about some fabulously wealthy multimillionaire who in despair at his failure of finding happiness, ends up attempting suicide. Far happier are the parents who, trusting Providence, raise children in an atmosphere of love and sacrifice, as my mom and dad did. Their carpets may have been worn at the edges, but not their hearts. Rather than riches, they sought, like the writer of the Book of Wisdom, the gifts of prudence and wisdom and (I believe) found both, and so (again, I believe) have earned entry into "the Lord's rest" (second reading).
One of the characters in the Gospels, with whom we can all easily identify, is the "rich young man" who goes away sad. Jesus made him an amazing offer-eternal life-and he turned it down! Why? Because he just couldn't give up his fancy sports car and his bulging bank account in exchange for a less comfortable life of discipleship. Like so many people in our society, he couldn't make a commitment to spiritual wealth-God's wisdom. It would involve living for others, serving people without power or status. Because he couldn't make the leap of faith, he chose to remain bound to a life of anxious seeking for what he could see and feel. You can't take it with you!
If we had to give up something we cherish in order to grow closer to Christ, would we be strong enough to let go? This Sunday's Word of God is challenging us to seek and accept the gift of Wisdom, and so enter into the joy of living with peace of mind and heart.
A couple of weeks ago, Pope Benedict begged young people in the Czech Republic to seek after the truths of their country's rich Christian heritage. He added, "Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old. If our eyes remain open to the beauty of God's creation and our minds to the beauty of His truth, then we may indeed hope to remain young and to build a world that reflects something of that divine beauty, so as to inspire future generations to do likewise."
May all of us, especially our young people, beg God for prudence and wisdom to make the right choice!
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