The story of the blind beggar at the side of the road outside Jericho signals to the readers of the Gospel that the story is drawing to a close. Jericho lies at the base of Mt. Zion. Jerusalem lies at its peak. Traveling the road from Jericho to Jerusalem takes one from below sea level to an elevation above sea level, from a salt waste and the Dead Sea to the life of a thriving city. ...
Sometimes the two different readings for our daily liturgy seem to converge and offer us a particularly powerful lesson. I think that is true of today's selections.
The Book of Sirach includes a poetic prayer asking God to demonstrate His power. The sentiments should not be foreign to us. I suspect that all of us have on more than one occasion thought how good it would feel to see God...
In the first century after the birth of Christ and continuing until the thirteenth century, one did not count his wealth by looking at a bank account or a stock market portfolio. Currency and coin were mere tokens of wealth. True wealth lay in herds of cattle, sheep and camels, in acres of land, in children and family. In addition to these material possessions was the wealth of honor and...
Today's passage from the Gospel of St. Mark is the familiar yet difficult story of the rich young man. He pays homage to Jesus and then asks what he must do to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus responds that he must obey the commandments. The young man claims that he already does that and asks if there is anything else. This is where the man's train of thought derails. Jesus tells him to...