What must I do to inherit eternal life?

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

１Peter 1:3-9

Let us praise God,

The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for his great mercy. In raising Jesus Christ from the dead he has given us new life and a living hope.   The inheritance that does not corrupt nor goes bad nor passes away was reserved to you in heavens,   since God’s power shall keep you faithful until salvation is revealed in the last days.

There is cause for joy, then, even though you may, for a time, have to suffer many trials.   Thus will your faith be tested, like gold in a furnace. Gold, however, passes away but faith, worth so much more, will bring you in the end praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ appears.

 You have not yet seen him and yet you love him; even without seeing him, you believe in him and experience a heavenly joy beyond all words,  for you are reaching the goal of your faith: the salvation of your souls.

 

Ps 111:1-2, 5-6, 9 & 10c

The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊ 

Mark 10:17-27

 Just as Jesus was setting out on his jour­ney again, a man ran up, knelt before him and asked, “Good Master, what must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.

  You know the commandments: Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat, honor your father and mother.”   The man replied, “I have obeyed all these commandments since my childhood.”

Then Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him and he said, “For you, one thing is lacking. Go, sell what you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow me.”   On hearing these words, his face fell and he went away sorrowful for he was a man of great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”   The disciples were shocked at these words, but Jesus insisted, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!   It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

 They were more astonished than ever and wondered, “Who, then, can be saved?”   Jesus looked steadily at them and said, “For humans it is impossible, but not for God; all things are possible with God.”

 

 Gospel Reflection：

Wrong Question

“What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The very question was wrong – for it was built on a faulty assumption that we must “do” something to inherit eternal life. You do not “do” anything to get your inheritance; you just need to “do.”

I inherit my parental property not because of anything I do, but because of who I “am.”When you become truly conscious of who you “are”and grow into that self, behavior proper to such a self will simply flow from you.

In other words, “doing “will follow your “being”as a consequence, not vice versa. St. Peter refers to this inheritance in the first reading, telling us that this “inheritance that does not corrupt, nor goes bad, nor passes away, is reserved for you in heaven.”

Had the young man been truly conscious of this, the invitation of Jesus would have thrilled his heart: to leave everything behind and walk beside Jesus, the true spouse of his soul, his eternal possession.