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Homily – Oct 13, 2024 / 28th Sunday (Year B) ● Wisdom 7:7-11 ● Psalm 90 ● Hebrews 4:12-13 ● + Mark 10:17-30● Title: 10 Percent. 10 Commandments
I’d like to address this in reference to:
· God’s
Word in 10 commandments
· Our
call to give the first 10 percent
Can we too be
considered “rich?” Richness or
excellence can be measured in many ways – being highly educated, wealthy,
connected. Perhaps he is all of the above.
We are told that this rich man has many possessions. But, how much does this matter?
I read a study
that suggests we tend to over-estimate our own capabilities and competency.
There is survey showing that that a large
majority (90%) of business managers and leaders believe their performance is in
the top 10%, hinting at a tendency to overestimate their abilities.
At times, I am inclined to over-estimate my
own capability to consider that when things go wrong that other people are to
blame.
I can relate to this Gospel and the “survey
results”. I might also include myself in the top 10%, in my humble opinion
(IMHO) ! J “insert
smile emoji here.”
Does the rich young man – do I – do you
perceive myself as a faithful follower just based on “performance”?
The young man likely understood temptation
and the need for repentance. Jewish prayers and temple sacrifices focused on
atonement for sin, and the Law provided a clear measure of righteousness.
But, even this can be turn us into being very materially focused and
even self-righteous.
This man is in the top 10 percent.
[__03__] God’s Word is given to us in 10
commandments
The rich man in the Gospel fancied himself “good” since he believed that
he had followed the 10 Commandments throughout his life. First,
Moses, in receiving these 10 commandments, received
2 stone tablets.
So how many of the TEN commandments were on each of the TWO stone
tablets?
What's the distinction between the 2 tablets? The distinction is that
commandments, # 1, # 2, # 3, on the 1st tablet. And, these
first 3 are all about love of God: ___ thou shalt have no other
gods before me, ___ Keep holy the Sabbath day. ___ Don't take the name of the
Lord's God, name Lord in vain.
The 10 Commandments are given on these 2 stone tablets, with this
distinction. The 1st tablet focuses on love of God.
The 2nd tablet contains commandments 4 through 10,
focusing on love of neighbor, such as honoring thy father and thy mother, not
killing, not committing adultery, and not stealing.
The rich young man mentions that he has excelled at observing the
commandments on the 2nd tablet—those related to loving his
neighbor.
[__04__] Jesus, however, mentions something else,
and challenges him regarding the 1st three commandments, asking
if he truly puts God above all else. The question isn’t just about avoiding
penalties, but about love—loving God with all one’s heart.
Isn’t it true that we often follow laws primarily to avoid trouble,
fines, or punishment? We avoid lying, cheating, or stealing not just because
they’re wrong, but to avoid negative consequences. But is fear of punishment
the only reason we follow the commandments?
[__05__] Jesus reminds us that all the
commandments are fundamentally about love of God. Consider how our ethical
values, such as the protection of life—whether the life of an unborn child or a
child we do not know—are grounded in love of God. When Jesus said, "The
kingdom of God belongs to such as these," He reminded us that our love for
vulnerable people stems from recognizing that all life belongs to God, a truth
that is particularly pertinent during this Respect Life month of October. Even
those who don’t believe in God can still love others, but the straight line to
protecting life comes from acknowledging that life is not solely created by
us.
[__06__] Jesus is challenging the rich young man
to see that the commandments are not just rules for success or achieving a high
rank. They are about protecting human life and recognizing the God-given value
of each person. We are protected not merely by laws written in our cities,
states, or nations, but by God's law, which affirms the inherent worth and
dignity of every human being. In summary, all the commandments can be summed up
as loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself.
Thomas Merton wrote, in his prologue to *No Man Is an Island*:
[__07__]
Having been rich and obedient to the Commandments of God, the rich man
is then confronted by Jesus with his love of material possessions.
This essay by Thomas Merton reminds me of a
biblical principle that we are called to give – always – our first 10 percent
to God.
In charitable
giving, this relates to 10 % of our money to charity or tithing.
But, what about
the first 10% of our day. Consider that if we need approximately 2 hours to
“get going” in the morning – that’s 120 minutes.
We might need 2 hours
total to get dressed, commute to work, have some breakfast, check our
messages. That’s 120 minutes.
Can we give 10% of 120 –
or 12 minutes – each day – for prayer?
Often, we can give more, but how about a
minimum of 12 minutes per day?
And how about in our love for others
deciding to give the first 10% - the first ten minutes of time, attention to
our loved ones.
By giving our
first 10 % we also learn not to adore ourselves but to adore and worship God:
[__08__] Thomas
Merton: It is of supreme importance that
we commit ourselves to love, not simply to love ourselves, but to love
others. The rich young man is being asked to give up his possessions
because real change begins with giving ourselves away and being generous.
When we love others, we can more easily accept our own limitations.
Maybe I’m not in the top 10% of pastors, but I can live with that,
knowing that I am loved by God and have inherent value that transcends any
statistic.
As long as we secretly adore ourselves—and I admit, I’m guilty of
this—our flaws will haunt us, and we’ll never be satisfied with ourselves. But
if we love others and truly live for them, we’ll realize that no one expects us
to be “God”.
We are human, with weaknesses and deficiencies, and those very
imperfections can lead us closer to God.
[Concluding example__09___]
Do you want the blessings of eternal life with God? Would you like to be in the top 10%? Or to
have 10% more wealth, success, or return on your investments? Jesus warns that
such desires can pull us away from God, just as they did for King David.
David, despite his material wealth as king, fell into grave sin and had
to seek God’s mercy. He prayed in Psalm 51: "Have mercy on me, God, in
your kindness; in your compassion, blot out my offense." Today’s
Gospel also reminds us that “nothing is impossible with God.”
This psalm teaches us that true greatness and worth come not from
material things but from seeking God’s help with a humble and contrite
heart:
“A humble, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.” (Psalm 51)
Our connection to God through humility and prayer is where true
greatness and salvation and our hope of inheriting eternal life. [___end____]
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