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M
ONDAY
OF
THE
E
IGHTH
W
EEK
IN
O
RDINARY
T
IME
1 Pt 1:3-9
Psalm 111: 1-2, 5-6, 9 and 10c
Mark 10: 17 ˀ 27
S
UMMARY
Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in
heavenˎ
How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass though the eye of a needle than for one who is
rich to enter the Kingdom of God.
R
EFLECTION
This is a gospel we all know but for me it is one that always causes me to reflect
on my life, specifically with my generosity with the church and my neighbors. I
recall when I had my business and I was earning a lot of money I contributed a
goodly sum in my annual pledge to the parish. I also responded to the various
appeals, Mission Haiti, Together in Mission, The Giving Bank. But in reflection I
do not think that I understood what God was asking of me in this gospel. But af-
ter reading this gospel again and in the preparation for writing this reflection, I
remembered back to a time during the Capital Campaign when I was soliciting
funds from parishioners to help with the building of what is now our current
school and pastoral center and parish hall. I recall going to a home, a very mod-
est home in Alhambra, and sitting with a family explaining the goal of the Capital
Campaign and requesting a pledge. This family had reflected on their pledge and
made a commitment to the fund. I was very grateful for their pledge and when I
left I realized that what they had pledged was going to really stretch their budget.
During the solicitation process we were sent out in pairs and my partner and I
discussed the pledge that this family had made and we both felt very moved by
their generosity, but we also felt that their gift was going to over stretch their
budget and possibly create a problem, so we returned to the family and explained
that in their generosity they may have over reached a bit and we suggested that