Reflections on Scripture | Tuesday of the 8th Week in Ordinary Time

Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

Choose either the video or audio below.

Gospel
Mark 10:28-31

Peter began to say to Jesus,
'We have given up everything and followed you."
Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel\
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Reflection

The disciples in this passage have just witnessed Jesus tell a rich man that he should give away all that he has, and he walks away, depressed, disillusioned.

He’s a perfect example of the way many people saw God and maybe still see God, as someone that you try to win favor from them by doing something for Him, doing what He tells you to do. But the truth is that’s not salvation. Salvation is not about you doing something for God. It's allowing God to do something for you that you can't do.

Rearranging your entire relationship with yourself in the world. And everyone around you. It’s letting go of the way in which an ego and a will can run your life versus allowing God to transform and awaken something in you that is not about you, but about something greater than you.

Closing Prayer

Father, free us from earning anything from you. We tend to think we can please you by doing the right thing. You're not interested in so much what we're doing. As much as you are interested in changing how we do what we do, why we do what we do. Open us to your transforming grace and let us feel your power, not our egos. Leading us into places of service. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflections Archives

Kyle Cross