20th Week in Ordinary Time
21st August 2023 (Monday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 4
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Judges 2:11-19
In those days: The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger. They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. Whenever they marched out, the hand of the Lord was against them for harm, as the Lord had warned, and as the Lord had sworn to them. And they were in terrible distress. Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so. Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.
Psalm 106:34-35, 36-37, 39-40, 43ab and 44 (R. see 4ab)
R/. O Lord, remember us with the favour you show to your people.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Matthew 19:16-22
At that time: A man came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honour your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Highlight: Not enough!
Guidlines: What God invites for and expects is something different from those of the world. God always calls us for something more and above{alertSuccess}
1. A rich young man approaches Jesus, asking “What good deed must I do, to have eternal life?” First of all, he deserves our appreciation because he seeks eternal life. How many today have this thought and orientation for something higher, the afterlife?
2. How many simply get entangled in this world and do not rise beyond? How many have very earth-bound, material and temporal goals and targets and lose sight of the eternal and permanent?
3. The rich man is further appreciable because he is aware that eternal life can be gained only through doing good deeds and following the commandments of God. Accordingly, he lives a good life. How many are aware that eternal life is possible only through living a life of good and commands of God? How many make sincere efforts to work out their salvation?
4. However, Jesus raises his level of thinking. He wants to raise the level of the quality of his life as well. Therefore, it is not only doing some good things or keeping some commandments. It is becoming perfect.
5. It calls for something more. It demands to go beyond what is prescribed in the law or standards. This perfection demands radical detachment and dispossession. It demands a total and perfect following of Jesus.
6. That is why, Jesus asks him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor; and come, follow me”. Detachment from worldly things and a personal and intimate attachment to Jesus, giving possessions to the poor, and giving one’s own life to God –are the essential norms.
7. This is the same perfection that is demanded in the first reading as well. The chosen people of the covenant and law fell away from the true God and went after other gods, bowing down before them and serving them. They did what is evil in the sight of the Lord. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.
Practice: Money and possessions are the modern gods and craving and attachment toward them is the new type of idolatry and disloyalty. Unless one overcomes this entanglement, one can never be perfect and can never attain eternal life{alertSuccess}