TUESDAY, TWENTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Memorial of Saint Bernard
Ez 28: 1-10 Dt 32: 26-28, 30, 35-36 Mt 19: 23-30
DETACH FROM THE WORLD, ATTACH TO CHRIST
Was Jesus opposed to wealth and money? We value money because it gives us the ability to fulfil our aspirations. We are aware that neither Jesus nor the wealthy were enemies of him. Wealth is good since it was made by God. Additionally, He had many wealthy friends, including some infamous tax collectors. Jesus urges us to follow the evangelical advice of living in poverty. This signifies a separation from the world and a clinging to Christ.
Consider the following three forms of evangelical poverty:
Material Poverty: Christ warns us of our attraction to material things in forceful language. It doesn’t matter if we are attached to expensive or inexpensive items. No matter how big the attachment is, our soul won’t be able to reach the pinnacles of perfection. Material poverty can be a first step towards affective poverty and a path to holiness while being difficult for many people.
Poverty of Mind: When we realize that Christ’s ways are different from ours, he instructs us not to be shocked. In this relativistic environment, we are far too quick to accept any argument that supports our beliefs or tickles our fancy. Subjectivity, or the desire to follow our own feelings and thoughts, poses a constant threat, particularly in the present. It is the root of a great number of individual failures in spiritual and moral problems because, without the greater guidance of faith and revelation, our intelligence will be unrestrained even in the most basic and plain things.
Poverty of Heart: “What will be there for us?” How often of our selfless acts for Christ undone by selfishness? Although we might no longer be attracted to the splendour of material items, we might still be attached to the admiration we receive as a result. When we are willing to do good without looking for a reward, we know we are working for God’s glory.
Response: It is I who deal death and give life.
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