053 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings

28th  Sunday in Ordinary Time

Wisdom 7: 7-11; Psalm 90: 12-17; Hebrews 4: 12-13; Mark 10: 17-30

Homily Theme

Rich in Wisdom

As I prayed the scriptures this week the first word that jumped off the page for me was the word wisdom. In the first reading in the first verse we read. I prayed and prudence was given to me; I pleaded and the spirit of wisdom came to me. The second word that inspired me was the word, riches. The author continues that he deemed riches nothing compared to wisdom. In this, he was Rich in Wisdom

The psalm also picks up the theme of wisdom. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. In the Gospel reading, a rich young man approaches Jesus to ask Him how he may obtain eternal life. It is the beginning of wisdom to come to God seeking the meaning of our existence and how to achieve its final purpose. He is an extraordinary devout young man who has lived a good life and kept all the commandments. Unfortunately, that is not enough, since he is unable to free himself of what holds him back from following the Lord completely. He doesn’t own Riches, they own him. He could have become a great Saint if he had wisely followed Jesus invitation to let go of what was preventing him from being all he could be. He was rich in wealth but not in wisdom.

Jesus sighs as the rich young man walks away sad in today’s Gospel passage. He tells his disciples it is harder for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven than for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle. Why is it hard for the rich to enter the kingdom? It is because they place their trust in their riches for a good life here on earth. But we all have something that holds us back from completely following the Lord’s invitation to come fully into the kingdom. Ask Jesus this week in Holy Communion the same question as the young man did in the Gospel. What must I do to enter eternal life? Let us ask Him what He wants from us.

If we truly seek to know what that is, we are wise. If we are able to let go and let God lead us in true freedom from the things that own us, then we will be really, and truly, Rich in Wisdom. We are all going to exist for all eternity. Let us make a wise decision now, where it will be. There are two choices: Heaven or Hell. Millions are making the wrong choices as they also walk away from God and His Church: they will then discover that they were not Rich in Wisdom.