Mark 10 : 17 - 31
NRSV Translations
17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18 Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud. Honor your father and mother.'"
20 He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth."
21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?"
27 Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."
28 Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you."
29-31 Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."
REFLECTIONS:
Thoughts from DJ:
Growing up in a time and culture of never before known powers of marketing, the desire for stuff is strong! That is why for most of my life this passage has been a source of shame, guilt and concern. Am I the rich young man who wants to love God and care about the life eternal, but I have too many things? If I am actually a person who follows the ways of Jesus and senses the direction of the Spirit, why do I still want an i-watch, new truck, boat, and a trip to Hawaii?
Could it be that living in a very material culture has caused me to continually miss the main point of this interaction with Jesus and his disciples? My review of my garage, bank account and driveway is often simply another effort for me to evaluate and judge if I am "good enough" for God and eternal life.
As the story unfolds with Jesus and the young man, it becomes clear that the wealthy man’s most prized possession isn’t the stuff he owns. He is possessed by the thought of his own goodness. He tells Jesus that he has kept “all” of the commandments. And yet, what Jesus sees is a man obsessed and impressed with his own religious performance.
This is actually the boundage I have developed for myself. It is also the obsession of our current polarized political and religious life. Everyone is looking for the highest ground of purity and self righteousness. Standing over our rivals and the poor with judgement of their ridiculous actions and beliefs.
How could we ever be free of either our desire for stuff or purity over others?
The key is found in verse 21, which says, “Jesus, looking at him, loved him.” It’s in the naked poverty of being seen through the eyes of love that we can let go of our “many possessions,” including our money. It’s from this place of poverty that we can truly enjoy the good life.
May we reflect this week on the freedom that comes over us when we are seen with eyes of love and compassion. Let us also reflect with gratitude on the gift of seeing one another with love and compassion. These are the signs and evidence of an eternal life worth living in community and relationship with God and others.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Who are three people in your world who could use encouragement this week?
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
When you make requests of others, how do you maintain openness and empathy when your requests are not met?
Pathways toward Centeredness
Intellection (Loving God through pursuing knowledge):
This week, pick up a non-fiction book or watch a documentary on a subject that is new to you.
Questions for Reflection
To whom do you feel like you have the most to prove? What would life be like if you had nothing to prove?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
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