Word of the day

A reading from the Letter of Peter
1 Pt 1:10-16

Beloved:
Concerning the salvation of your souls
the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours
searched and investigated it
investigating the time and circumstances
that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated
when it testified in advance
to the sufferings destined for Christ
and the glories to follow them.
It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you
with regard to the things that have now been announced to you
by those who preached the Good News to you
through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven,
things into which angels longed to look.

Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly,
and set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Like obedient children,
do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance
but, as he who called you is holy,
be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct,
for it is written, Be holy because I am holy.

From the Gospel according to Mark
Mk 10:28-31

Peter began to say to Jesus,
"We have given up everything and followed you."
Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first."

Following Jesus from a human point of view is not a good deal: it means service. After all, that is exactly what “He did: and if the Lord gives you the chance to be first, you must behave as the last, that is, by serving. And if the Lord gives you the chance to have possessions, you must place them in service, that is, for others”. There are three things, three steps that separate us from Jesus: wealth, vanity and pride.  This is why, “possessions are so dangerous: they lead you immediately to vanity, and you believe you are important”; but “when you believe you are important, your head swells and you become lost”. (…) It is “unseemly to see a Christian — whether lay, consecrated, priest or bishop — who wants both things: to follow Jesus and possessions, to follow Jesus and worldliness”. It is “counter-testimony” which “separates people from Jesus”. Let us continue with Peter’s question: “We have left everything: how are You going to pay us?”. Let us remember Jesus’ response, because the pay “He will give us is the likeness to Him: this will be our ‘wage’”. And “likeness to Jesus”, is a “great wage”. (Santa Marta, 26 May 2015)