YEAR B: HOMILY FOR THE 28TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
HOMILY THEME: BEYOND WEALTH
BY: Very Rev. Fr. John Louis
READINGS: Wisdom 7:7-11 / Hebrews 4:12-13 / Mark 10:17-30 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
When God asked the young King Solomon what he wanted, the king requested for wisdom. And because this request pleased the Lord God, the king was blessed with not only wisdom, but wealth and honour as well (1 Kings 3:5-12). Subsequently, the king, excited about the blessings his request for wisdom had brought him, composed the poem – namely, today’s first reading:
I prayed, and understanding was given me; I entreated, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me. I esteemed her more than kingdoms and thrones; compared with her, I held riches as nothing. I reckoned no precious stone to be her equal, for compared with her, all gold is a pinch of sand, and beside her, silver ranks as mud.
I loved her more than health or beauty, preferred her to the light, since her radiance never sleeps. In her company all good things came to me, and at her hands incalculable wealth (Wis. 7:7-11). Thus, wisdom is more valuable than wealth. Furthermore, as a master/mistress is accompanied by his/her servants, so wisdom is accompanied by true wealth.
Similarly, in the story of the encounter of the rich man with Jesus Christ, we learn about the ultimate thing which far surpasses wealth – eternal life (cf. today’s gospel reading). Eternal Life or life in the kingdom of heaven does not only surpass wealth, health, power and even human wisdom, it actually gives us true wisdom, wealth, health, etc. Thus, the Lord says: ‘seek you first the kingdom of heaven and all other things shall be added unto it’ (Matt. 6:33).
For this reason, the Lord Jesus assures Peter and all his followers who (in contrast to the rich man who did not give up his wealth) have left everything to seek the kingdom of heaven in him: ‘Truly, I say to you, there is no man who has left house or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who shall not receive a hundred times as much, now in this time; houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions: and in the world to come life eternal’ (Mark 10:29-30).
Beloved, the good news is that you and I have also been assured eternal life by the Lord. Let us, therefore, always seek this eternal treasure. Amen.
By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis
