Reflection by Rev. Leonard N. Peterson
There is something attractive about most “Rags to Riches” stories. They whisk us away from the day-to-day matters that crowd our days to a dream world we all inhabit from time to time about being rich. In this vein, note the popularity of lottery tickets. Or even the current best seller written by one of the candidates for office in next month’s election.
Yet Our Lord Jesus, so aptly called as “a sign of contradiction” teaches something quite different about wealth. He meets this unnamed rich young man in Mark’s gospel and boldly calls wealth a potential obstacle to living the God-centered life.
The young man apparently has done well with the basics of being a disciple, and Jesus recognizes that. But then He presents the man with that next best step forward to reach perfection. The young man is unable to accept it. What started out as a happy meeting ends sadly.
I can imagine the disappointed look in Our Lord’s eyes as He watched that young man walk away. I can also picture the sad expression in those younger eyes, and his downcast posture as he turns around.
Our First Readings this weekend presents an entirely different decision made by another rich young man named Solomon, who happens to be a king. He recognizes the folly having riches to his name but no helpful strategy for ruling people. He yearns for the wisdom to rule them effectively.
You and I live in the richest country in the world. We are so blest with our guaranteed freedoms, and so many other wonderful things that make earthly life pleasant. Consider just the access we must clear drinking at the turn of a faucet. From that we could list all the everyday items we have like health care and an array of technical gadgets that even kings of bygone times never had. Many of us live financially better off than most of the world’s people.
It is not wrong to have all those. But do you ever stop and think that these tangibles could block our interest in the things of God? Could they lure us into the lie that these things are what life is all about? What would we cling to if they were taken from us? If, for example, an unexpected health problem would make them inaccessible? Where would we go for our comfort? Or our truth?
Our faith supplies the answer. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. We also know that He acts through His Church, which safeguards His teachings until the end of time. So, it is a form of wisdom to know and believe that. When we try to live it out each day, we are subconsciously writing our own version of “rags to riches.”
On the matter of the difference between knowledge and wisdom I offer this sound analysis: “Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.”
God love you and give you His peace.
Rev. Peterson’s Reading & Gospel Summary
Reading I: Wisdom 7: 7-11
Solomon prefers wisdom over power, riches, health, comeliness and light. As a result, wisdom came to him, and those others besides.
Reading II: Hebrews 4: 12-13
God’s Word challenges us to persevere because our attachment is to be to Jesus only and not to lesser realities.
The Gospel: Mark 10: 17-30, or 10: 17-27
Jesus teaches that wealth can be an obstacle to true discipleship. That path has rewards that outweigh the sacrifices it asks us to make. The rich man makes an unwise decision.