28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: (Mk 10:17-30 or 10:17-27)

As Jesus 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?” 

Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 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.” 

He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” 

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.” 

At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 

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! 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.” 
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” 

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St. Faustina noted in her Diary (D. 532, 533)

After Holy Communion, I saw the Lord Jesus, who said these words to me: Today, penetrate into the spirit of My poverty and arrange everything in such a way that the most destitute will have no reason to envy you. I find pleasure, not in large buildings and magnificent structures, but in a pure and humble heart.

When I was by myself, I began to reflect on the spirit of poverty. I clearly saw that Jesus, although He is Lord of all things, possessed nothing. From a borrowed manger He went through life doing good to all, but himself having no place to lay His head. And on the Cross, I see the summit of His poverty, for He does not even have a garment on himself… And in the Most Blessed Sacrament, how great is Your poverty! Has there ever been a soul as abandoned as You were on the Cross, Jesus?

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➡ Have I ever wondered why Jesus chose to live in poverty voluntarily?

➡ The greatest treasure and wealth of Jesus was the relationship with the Father, God’s filiation and the anointing with the Holy Spirit that He received. Jesus wants me to be like Him, that my greatest treasure would be Himself, the Father and the Spirit of Love.

➡ I will thank Jesus for His mercy and ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit, so that I would not be afraid of a humble and modest life.