PRI 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

It's clear that Jesus had a message that people could not fathom at the beginning, because they didn't have the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to help them. So when he talks about the first being last, the last being first, he's saying, I'm going to be giving you a whole new vision of who you are and what this world is about and why you're here.

And what he's saying to his disciples, be patient. It's difficult to rethink everything, but simply know that it leads to a fullness. It's not a loss. But a gain.

Closing Prayer

Father, we always want things to be more simple. We want to say, if I do this, I get this reward. Bless us with a freedom from that kind of thinking. Open this up to a new mystery. A mystical life where God is continually reforming who we are and opening our mind to why we are here. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Kyle Cross