17. And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18. And Jesus said to him, Why call you me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19. You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor your father and mother.
20. And he answered and said to him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said to him, One thing you lack: go your way, Sell whatsoever you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
23. And Jesus looked round about, and said to his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
24. And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answered again, and said to them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
27. And Jesus looking upon them said, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

BEDE; A certain man had heard from the Lord that only they who are willing to be like little children are worthy to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and therefore he desires to have explained to him, not in parables, but openly, by the merits of what works a man may attain everlasting life. Wherefore it is said: And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

THEOPHYL. I wonder at this young man, who when all others come to Christ to be healed of their infirmities, begs of Him the possession of everlasting life, notwithstanding his love of money, the malignant passion which afterwards caused his sorrow.

CHRYS. Because however he had come to Christ as he would to a man, and to one of the Jewish doctors, Christ answered him as Man. Wherefore it goes on: And Jesus said to him, Why call you me good? there is none good but the One God. In saying which He does not exclude men from goodness, but from a comparison with the goodness of God.

BEDE; But by this one God, who is good, we must not only understand the Father, but also the Son, whom says, I am the good Shepherd; and also the Holy Ghost, because it is said, The Father which is in heaven will give the good Spirit to them that ask him. For the One and Undivided Trinity itself, Father, Son amid Holy Ghost, is the Only and One good God. The Lord therefore does not deny Himself to be good, but implies that He is God; He does not deny that He is good Master, but He declares that no master is good but God.

THEOPHYL; Therefore the Lord intended by these words to raise the mind of the young man, so that he might know Him to be God. But He also implies another thing by these words, that when you have to converse with a man, you should not flatter him in your conversation, but look back upon God, the root and fount of goodness, and do honor to Him.

BEDE; But observe that the righteousness of the law, when kept in its own time, conferred not only earthly goods, but also eternal life on those who chose it. Wherefore the Lord's answer to one who inquires concerning everlasting life is, You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill; for this is the childlike blamelessness which is proposed to us, if we would enter the kingdom of heaven.

On which there follows, And he answered and said to him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. We must not suppose that this man either asked the Lord, with a wish to tempt him, as some have fancied, or lied in his account of his life; but we must believe that he confessed with simplicity how he had lived; which is evident, from what is subjoined,

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said to him. If however he had been guilty of lying or of dissimulation, by no means would Jesus, after, looking on the secrets of his heart, have been said to love him.

ORIGEN; For in that He loved, or kissed him, He appears to affirm the truth of his profession, in saying that he had fulfilled all those things; for on applying His mind to him, He saw that the man answered with a good conscience.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. It is worthy of inquiry, however, how He loved a man, who, He knew, would not follow Him? But this is so much as to say, that since he was worthy of love in the first instance, because he observed the things of the law from his youth, so in the end, though he did not take upon himself perfection, he did not suffer a lessening of his former love. For although he did not pass the bounds of humanity, nor follow the perfection of Christ, still he was not guilty of any sin, since he kept the law according to the capability of a man, and in this mode of keeping it, Christ loved him.

BEDE; For God loves those who keep the commandments of the law, though they be inferior; nevertheless, He shows to those who would be perfect the deficiency of the law, for He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. Wherefore there follows: And said to him, One thing you lacks: go your way, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me; for whoever would be perfect ought to sell all that he has, not a part, like Ananias and Sapphira, but the whole.

THEOPHYL. And when he has sold it, to give it to the poor, not to stage-players and luxurious persons.

CHRYS. Well too did He say, not eternal life, but treasure, saying, And you shall have treasure in heaven; for since the question was concerning wealth, and the renouncing of all things, He shows that He returns more things than He has bidden us leave, in proportion as heaven is greater than earth.

THEOPHYL. But because there are many poor who are not humble, but are drunkards or have some other vice, for this reason He says, And come, follow me.

BEDE; For he follows the Lord, who imitates Him, and walks in His footsteps. It goes on: And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved.

CHRYS. And the Evangelist adds the cause of his grief, saying, For he had great possessions. The feelings of those who have little and those who have much are not the same, for the increase of acquired wealth lights up a greater flame of covetousness.

There follows: And Jesus looked round about, and said to his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God.

THEOPHYL. He says not here, that riches are bad, but that those are bad who only have them to watch them carefully; for He teaches us not to have them, that is, not to keep or preserve them, but to use them in necessary things.

CHRYS. But the Lord said this to His disciples, who were poor and possessed nothing, in order to teach them not to blush at their poverty, and as it were to make an excuse to them, and give them a reason, why He had not allowed them to possess any thing. It goes on: And the disciples were astonished at his words; for it is plain, since they themselves were poor, that they were anxious for the salvation of others.

BEDE; But there is a great difference between having riches, and loving them; wherefore also Solomon says not, He that has silver, but, He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver. Therefore the Lord unfolds the words of His former saying to His astonished disciples, as follows: But Jesus answered again, and said to them, Children, how hard it is for them that trust in their riches to enter the kingdom of God. Where we must observe that He says not, how impossible, but how hard; for what is impossible cannot in any way come to pass, what is difficult can be compassed, though with labor.

CHRYS. Or else, after saying difficult, He then shows that it is impossible, and that not simply, but with a certain vehemence; and he shows this by an example, saying, It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

THEOPHYL. It may be that by camel, we should understand the animal itself, or else that thick cable, which is used for large vessels.

BEDE; How then could either in the Gospel, Matthew and Joseph, or in the Old Testament, very many rich persons, enter into the kingdom of God, unless it be that they learned through the inspiration of God either to count their riches as nothing, or to quit them altogether. Or in a higher sense, it is easier for Christ to suffer for those who love Him, than for, the lovers of this world to turn to Christ; for under the name of camel, He wished Himself to he understood, because He bore the burden of our weakness; and by the needle, He understands the prickings, that is, the pains of His Passion. By the eye of a needle, therefore, He means the straits of His Passion, by which He, as it were, deigned to mend the torn garments of our nature. it goes on;

And they were astonished above measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? Since the number of poor people is immeasurably the greater, and these might be saved, though tine rich perished, they must have understood Him to mean that all who love riches, although they cannot obtain them, are reckoned in the number of the rich. It goes on; And Jesus looking upon them said, With men it is impossible, but not with God; which we must not take to mean, that covetous and proud persons can enter into the kingdom of Heaven with their covetousness and pride, but that it is possible with God that they should be converted from covetousness arid pride to charity and lowliness.

CHRYS. And the reason why He says that this is the work of God is, that He may show that he who is put into this path by God, has much need of grace; from which it is proved, that great is the reward of those rich men, who are willing to follow the r discipline of Christ.

THEOPHYL. Or we must understand that by, with man it is impossible, but not with God, He means, that when we listen to God, it becomes possible, but as long as we keep our human notions, it is impossible. There follows, For all things are possible with God; when He says all things, you must understand, that have a being; which sin has not, for it is a thing without being and substance , Or else: sin does not come under the notion of strength, but of weakness, therefore sin, like weakness, is impossible with God But can God cause that not to have been done which has been done? To which we answer, that God is Truth, but to cause that which has been done should not have been done is falsehood. How then can truth do what is false? He must first therfore quit His own nature, so that they who speak thus really say, Can God cease to be God? which is absurd.

Catena Aurea Mark 10

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

Blessed Margaret Pole

Feast Day: May 28
Born: 1471 :: Died: 1541

Margaret Plantaganet was born in England. She was the niece of two English kings, Edward IV and Richard III. King Henry VII arranged her marriage to Sir Reginald Pole who was a brave soldier and a friend of the royal family. They had five children and Margaret also privately helped raise the king's son Henry VIII. Years later, Sir Reginald died leaving Margaret a widow.

The young Henry VIII became king, he called Margaret the holiest woman in England. He was so impressed with her that he returned some property her family had lost in the past. He also made her a countess of Salisbury. Henry trusted her so much that Countess Margaret was appointed the governess of Princess Mary, his and Queen Catherine's daughter.

But then Henry tried to marry Anne Boleyn although he was already married. Margaret told the king that what he did was wrong. This upset the king very much and he made her leave the court. The king was even more upset when one of Margaret's sons, a priest (and who later became the famous Cardinal Reginald Pole), wrote a long article against Henry's claim to be head of the Church in England.

Henry was out of control. He had become cruel and hateful. He threatened to get rid of Margaret's whole family. Henry sent people to question Countess Margaret to prove her a traitor. They questioned her from noon until evening but could not find any fault with her. She had nothing to hide.

Then Margaret was wrongly accused and kept under house arrest at the castle of a nobleman. She was later moved to the huge tower of London without even a trial. During the long winter months, she suffered very much from the cold and dampness. She had no fire and not enough warm clothing.

Finally, on May 28, 1541, when she was seventy years old, Blessed Margaret was led out of the tower to the place of execution. She was tired and sick, but she stood tall and proud to die for her faith. "I am no traitor," she said bravely. Margaret was beheaded on Tower hill and died a martyr for her faith in Jesus.

Reflection: Am I willing to take the risk of losing the admiration of people because of my faith in Jesus?

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: May 28th

Monday of the Eighth Week of Ordinary Time

MASS READINGS

May 28, 2018 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Grant us, O Lord, we pray, that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and that your Church may rejoice, untroubled in her devotion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Old Calendar: Thursday after Pentecost; St. Augustine of Canterbury, archbishop and confessor; St. Bernard of Montjoux, priest (Hist)

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Augustine of Canterbury. He was sent by St. Gregory the Great to the Anglo-Saxons and is the great Apostle of England and the first Archbishop of Canterbury. He died in 604. His feast in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on May 27.

Historically today is the feast of St. Bernard of Montjoux, an Italian churchman, founder of the Alpine hospices of Saint Bernard. His life was spent working among the people of the Val d'Aosta. He is the patron of mountaineers.

St. Bernard of Montjoux
Bernard may have been the son of Count Richard of Menthon. It seems more likely though that he was of Italian birth. Nothing is really known of his parentage and early life.

Tradition reports that a marriage was being arranged for young Bernard and he fled so as to be free to give his life to God. We do know that he was ordained to the priesthood and that he was appointed Vicar General of the diocese of Aosta, Italy. For approximately forty-two years he traveled throughout the country, visiting the remotest Alpine villages. He would sometimes extend his missionary journeys into the neighboring dioceses of Geneva, Novara and Tarentaise. Bernard had the reputation for enforcing clerical discipline and he built several schools.

He is probably most famous for the hospices he built on the summits of passes over the Alps. Many pilgrims from France and Germany would travel over the Alps on their way to Rome, but it was always a possibility that one would die from freezing along the way. In the 9th century a system of hospices had been attempted, but had lapsed long before Bernard's time. Bernard's hospices in the 11th century were placed under the care of clerics and laymen and were well equipped for the reception of all travelers. Eventually these caretakers became Augustinian a monastery was built close by, still exists today

At some point in time Bernard traveled to Rome to receive formal recognition of the hospices and community and to obtain permission to accept novices. Bernard lived to the age of eighty-five and is believed to have died on May 28, 1081 at St. Lawrence Monastery in Novara, Italy.

A now-famous breed of dogs, known for its endurance in high altitude and cold, was named in honor of this saint. Bernard's life has been the focus of many romantic plays and stories. Many of us may remember childhood stories of St. Bernard dogs coming to the rescue of stranded or injured victims on Alpine slopes. The dogs almost always seem to have a cask of Brandy attached to their collars and when the victims were revived by a good drink the dogs would lead them to safety.

However romance was not what Bernard's life was about. He was strongly committed to the ideals taught by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount. Bernard dedicated his life to bring the message of Christ to all and to correct the abuses of clerical life which he saw. He was deeply concerned for the care of the poor and disadvantaged. Living his life in the Alps he knew the dangers present and did what he could to relieve them. He is a model, not of romance, but of deep love and compassion, in imitation of God whom he loved and served with all his heart reprimanded.

— Excerpted from Christ in the Desert

Patron: Alpinists; mountain climbers; mountaineers; skiers; travelers in the mountains.

Symbols: Man in a mountain setting holding a bishop's crozier; white dog.

Things to Do:

Read History of the Grand St Bernard pass for background.
If you like dogs you might find this history of the Saint Bernard Dog interesting.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Mark 10:17-27

8th Week in Ordinary Time

Go, sell what you have . . . ; then come, follow me. (Mark 10:21).

Have you ever heard the phrase “Hold your dreams loosely”? Dreams can be a wonderful gift from God. Many times they spring from talents you have or your desires to help the people around you. But clinging to them too tightly can keep you from accomplishing the plans God has in store for you.

St. Ignatius of Loyola learned this lesson the hard way. As a young soldier, he dreamed of attaining glory on the battlefield. But after being severely injured in battle, he ended up confined to bed for months of rehabilitation. Being sidelined like this, he struggled with the direction his life was taking, and he ultimately decided to let go of his dreams for glory. His detachment helped him hear God’s call and start down a new path.

For Ignatius, leaving the excitement of military conquests wasn’t a defeat. It was a transition. It opened the way for him to found a religious order that has drawn countless people closer to Jesus.

The rich young man in today’s Gospel could have learned something from Ignatius. His wealth wasn’t his real problem; it was his rigid attachment to it and to his dreams about all he could accomplish with it. That’s why Jesus called him to sell his possessions and give to the poor before following him. If he had held his riches with an open hand, he would have found it easier to let them go.

It’s all about flexibility. Jesus wasn’t condemning the young man for his riches; material wealth can be a blessing from God. Besides, most of us aren’t called to literally renounce everything. But if there is something that we are holding so tightly that we can’t ever imagine life without it, we need to learn to relax our grip. As we do, we will become more free to accept whatever calling, gifts, or even challenges, that the Lord sends our way.

Picture yourself as this rich young man. You, too, have blessings and dreams. How are you using them? How can you be a little more flexible with them? Remember, your dreams aren’t necessarily bad, and your possessions aren’t inherently evil. They just aren’t as valuable or wonderful as the dreams that Jesus has for you.

“Lord, help me to hold everything, even the blessings you’ve given me, loosely!”

1 Peter 1:3-9
Psalm 111:1-2, 5-6, 9-10

Regnum Christi

May 28, 2018 – The Price Is Right and the Choice Is Yours

Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Mark 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.”

Introductory Prayer: Once again, Lord, I come to you to pray. Even though I cannot see you, I trust that you are present and want very much to instruct me in your teachings. In the same way you demonstrate your love for me by spending this time with me, I want to express my love for you by dedicating this time to you with a spirit of faith, confidence and attention. Here I am, Lord, to listen to you and respond with love.

Petition: Lord, help me to be detached from the goods of this world so I can follow you more closely.

1. God Is Good: The rich young man recognized Christ’s goodness. He kneels down before him knowing that Jesus possesses something that he does not have. What is it? The spirit of unconditional love. Christ leads us out of ourselves and asks us to trust him more. And so, Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI encourages us, “I say to you, dear young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life” (Homily, April 24, 2005).

2. Looking at the Good Side of Things: It is easy to dwell on the cost of something. The young man’s face falls because he looks more at the cost than at the reward. The price is something that he would feel now, while the reward is something that will come later. How often in life do we experience this truth! The world we live in seeks instant gratification without wanting to pay the price. Rather than concentrating on the cost, we should focus on the benefits promised by God. We will discover that the cost is small and the benefits last forever. Do I have spiritual endurance? Am I able to wait for the Lord and patiently invest in eternal goods now?

3. Detachment: Saint Paul tells us that nothing can outweigh the knowledge of Christ Jesus. But in this man’s case, he had allowed something else to outweigh Christ. Comfort, security and material things beat the invitation of Christ to be perfect. Attachments lead to sadness; there is no room for God in a heart that is already full of the things of this world. Only detachment leads to true joy. God gives himself to the one who seeks him without any strings attached.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to live a life of freedom. Help me to recognize your goodness. May my faith always see the good side of things, seeing all in my life as an opportunity to love you. I want to be attached to you and detached completely from my sinfulness.

Resolution: I will pick one thing that I can detach myself from today.

One Bread, One Body

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1 Peter 1:3-9
View Readings

Psalm 111:1-2, 5-6, 9-10

Mark 10:17-27
Similar Reflections

ALL OR NOTHING

"A man came running up, knelt down before Him and asked, 'Good Teacher, what must I do to share in everlasting life?' " �Mark 10:17

The young rich man was brought up by good God-fearing parents. He had kept all the commandments from his youth (Mk 10:20). He only needed to do one more thing. But he had to do that, or he would never enter God's kingdom. "Jesus looked at him with love and told him, 'There is one thing more you must do. Go and sell what you have and give to the poor; you will then have treasure in heaven. After that, come and follow Me.' At these words the man's face fell. He went away sad, for he had many possessions" (Mk 10:21-22).

The young man apparently missed out on God's kingdom although he was so good and did everything but one thing. His only sin was that he wouldn't give everything. The disciples "were completely overwhelmed at this, and exclaimed to one another, 'Then who can be saved?' " (Mk 10:26)

Yes, the Christian life is giving everything; 99% won't do. It costs everything to buy the precious pearl of God's kingdom (Mt 13:46). The first and most basic commandment is: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind" (Lk 10:27).

The crucified Jesus gave all. Can we give any less?

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for taking all of me.

Promise: "Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, He Who in His great mercy gave us new birth." —1 Pt 1:3

Praise: Andrew gave up his job and his girlfriend to answer God's call to the priesthood.

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