L'Evangile dans ma vie/ The Gospel in my life

Gospel text

(Lk Lk 5:27-32): 

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

The Application

Today's readings present us with three important elements. Let our thoughts and actions be directed by the divine will, as expressed in the sacred scriptures. Therefore, let us remain faithful to its teachings.

Yet, if the interpretations of these sacred readings lead us away from divine love, or divine mercy, we must discern. Obedience is reserved or demanded to the Word of God, not to interpretations of the Word of God.  So let us imitate this approach of Jesus, and go to the people who have strayed from divine love.

The third element is more important for practice. Let us stand firm in our faith. Whatever happens, let us never abandon the faith. For this we must watch and pray, "Show me your way, Lord, that I may walk in your truth."

Action of the day: Invite Jesus at home.

“I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

Fr. Joan Carles MONTSERRAT i Pulido

(Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)

Today we see how Lent is moving forward and the strength of the conversion our Lord summons us to. The figure of the apostle and evangelist Matthew is very representative of those of us who think that, because of our background, or because of our personal sins or complicated life, we are unworthy of our Lord.

Well, no, we are not; to remove any doubt we might still have, Jesus Christ is offering us the possibility of following him, as He did with the first evangelist, Levi the tax collector, to whom He simply says: “Follow me” (Lk 5:27). Jesus does with him exactly the opposite of what a “judicious” mentality would do pretending to be “politically correct”. Levi —instead— came from a world where he was openly rejected by all his compatriots, as he was considered, just because of the fact he was a publican, and a helper of the Romans and, possibly, as much of a corrupt by the “commissions” he might receive, who indulged in choking the poor to collect their taxes; in short, he was considered a public sinner.

Those considering themselves as perfect, could not even think of Jesus not only not requesting them to follow him but not even asking them to his own table.

However, by choosing Levi, Our Lord Jesus Christ is telling us that it is rather this kind of people whom He prefers to call to expand his Kingdom; He has chosen the sick, the sinners, those who consider themselves unworthy: “Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong” (1Cor 1:27). For these are those who need help and, as such, they will also understand those also in need.

We are not to think God wants spotless and immaculate followers to serve him. That privilege belongs only to Our Mother. But for us, subjects of God's eternal salvation and Lent's protagonists, God wants just a contrite and humble heart. In words of Saint Augustine: “God has made you weak to give you his own power”. This is the type of person who, as the psalm says, God would not despise.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Lc 5,27-32): 

Après cela, il sortit et il remarqua un publicain (collecteur d'impôts) du nom de Lévi assis à son bureau de publicain. Il lui dit: «Suis-moi». Abandonnant tout, l'homme se leva et se mit à le suivre. Lévi lui offrit un grand festin dans sa maison; il y avait une grande foule de publicains et d'autres gens attablés avec eux. Les pharisiens et les scribes de leur parti récriminaient en disant à ses disciples: «Pourquoi mangez-vous et buvez-vous avec les publicains et les pécheurs?». Jésus leur répondit: «Ce ne sont pas les gens en bonne santé qui ont besoin du médecin, mais les malades. Je suis venu appeler non pas les justes mais les pécheurs, pour qu'ils se convertissent».

L’Application

Les lectures d'aujourd'hui nous présentent trois éléments importants. Que nos pensées et nos actions soient dirigées par la volonté divine, telle qu'elle est exprimée dans les écritures sacrées. Par conséquent, restons fidèles à ses enseignements.

Cependant, si les interprétations de ces lectures sacrées nous éloignent de l'amour divin, ou de la miséricorde divine, nous devons faire preuve de discernement. L'obéissance est réservée ou exigée à la Parole de Dieu, pas aux interprétations de la Parole de Dieu.  Imitons donc cette démarche de Jésus, et allons vers les personnes qui se sont éloignées de l'amour divin.

Le troisième élément est plus important pour la pratique. Restons fermes dans notre foi. Quoi qu'il arrive, n'abandonnons jamais la foi. Pour cela, nous devons veiller et prier : " Montre-moi ton chemin, Seigneur, afin que je marche dans ta vérité. "

 «Je suis venu appeler non pas les justes mais les pécheurs»

Abbé Joan Carles MONTSERRAT i Pulido

(Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui nous voyons s'avancer la Carême ainsi que l'intense conversion à laquelle le Seigneur nous appelle. La figure de l'apôtre et évangéliste Matthieu est très représentative de tous ceux qui en sont venus à croire qu'à cause de leurs parcours, ou de leurs péchés personnels ou des situations compliquées, il est difficile que le Seigneur puisse les choisir comme collaborateurs.

Mais Jésus Christ, pour écarter tous nos doutes, nous présente comme premier évangéliste, Lévi, le collecteur d'impôts, à qui Il dit tout simplement: «Suis-moi» (Lc 5,27). Il fait avec lui juste le contraire de ce qu'une mentalité “bien-pensante” et “sensée” peu concevoir. Si, aujourd'hui, nous voulons paraître “politiquement corrects”, Lévi —par contre— venait d'un monde où il était rejeté par tous ses compatriotes, car, du fait d'être un publicain, il était considéré comme un collaborateur des Romains et peut-être aussi comme un escroc. En raison des “commissions” qu'il devait percevoir; comme quelqu'un qui pressurisait les pauvres pour lever les impôts; comme un pécheur publique, enfin.

Ceux qui étaient censés être parfaits ne pouvaient se rendre à l'évidence que Jésus ne songeât pas a leur demander de le suivre ou même à s’assoire a sa table.

Mais, en choisissant Lévi, Notre Seigneur Jésus Christ nous dit qu'il aime plutôt s'entourer de ce genre de personnes pour répandre son Royaume; Il a choisi les malades, les pécheurs, ceux qui ne se croient pas justes: «Ce qu'il y a de faible dans le monde, voilà ce que Dieu a choisi pour couvrir de confusion ce qui est fort» (1Co 1,27). Ce qui ont besoin des médecins, et surtout, ceux qui pourront bien comprendre que les autres peuvent en avoir aussi besoin.

Nous devons, donc, repousser la pensée que Dieu nous veut avec des états de service impeccables pour le servir. Cet état de service, Il ne l'a préparé que pour Notre Mère. Mais pour nous tous, soumis au salut de Dieu et protagonistes du Carême, Dieu veut un cœur contrit et humilié. D'ailleurs, «Dieu t'a crée faible pour pouvoir te donner son propre pouvoir» (Saint Augustin). Voila le type de personnes que, selon le psalmiste, Dieu ne méprise pas.

Gospel text

(Mt 9:14-15): 

Then the disciples of John approached him and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast (much), but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

The Application

As I told you yesterday, God does not desire man to suffer. Yet we can choose to accept voluntary pain, for a great purpose, as a step towards confession, reconciling ourselves with God. Fasting is a good thing. We must ask ourselves a profound question with all sincerity: why and for what purpose?

Action of the day: Search the ideal fasting that God desires from you.

“The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast”

Fr. Xavier PAGÉS i Castañer

(Barcelona, Spain)

Today the first Friday of Lent, having experienced the fasting and abstinence of Ash Wednesday, we have attempted to offer our fasting and the prayer of the Holy Rosary, for the Peace, that our World needs so badly. We are willing to take care of this Lenten exercise, our Church, Mother and Teacher, is asking us to abide by, and to remember it was the same Lord who said: “The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Mt 9:15). We have the desire to experience it, not just as the fulfillment of an obligation which is mandatory for us, but —most of all— as the possibility to find the spirit which will let us live this Lenten practice while helping us in our spiritual improvement.

By seeking this deep feeling, we can ask ourselves: which is the true fasting? Already, prophet Isaiah, in today's first reading, tells us which is the fasting God appreciates: « Is it not sharing your bread with the hungry, bringing the afflicted and the homeless into your house; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard” (Is 58:7-8). God likes and expects from us whatever is taking us towards a true love for all our brothers.

Every year, Saint John Paul II wrote us a message for Lent. One of these messages, under the motto “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35); helped us to discover the very same charitable dimension of our fasting, which, from the bottom of our heart, allows us to prepare for Easter Time, in an effort to identify ourselves, more and more, with Christ's love which took him to die in the Cross for us. As Saint Leo the Great said: “What every Christian ought to do all the time, he ought to do it now more carefully and more devotedly.”

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mt 9,14-15): 

Les disciples de Jean Baptiste s'approchent de Jésus en disant: «Pourquoi tes disciples ne jeûnent-ils pas, alors que nous et les pharisiens nous jeûnons?». Jésus leur répondit: «Les invités de la noce pourraient-ils donc faire pénitence pendant le temps où l'Époux est avec eux? Mais un temps viendra où l'Époux leur sera enlevé, et alors ils jeûneront».

L’Application

Comme je vous l'ai dit hier, Dieu ne désire pas que l'homme souffre. Pourtant, nous pouvons choisir d'accepter une douleur volontaire, dans un grand but, comme une étape vers la confession, la réconciliation avec Dieu. Le jeûne est une bonne chose. Nous devons nous poser une question profonde en toute sincérité : pourquoi et dans quel but ?

«Un temps viendra où l'Époux leur sera enlevé, et alors ils jeûneront»

Abbé Xavier PAGÉS i Castañer

(Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui premier vendredi de Carême, ayant vécu le jeûne et l'abstinence du Mercredi des Cendres, nous avons essayé d’offrir le jeûne et la prière du Saint Rosaire pour la paix. Ce dont nous avons autant de besoin. Nous sommes disposés à avoir soin de cet exercice du Carême que l'Église, Mère et Maître, nous demande d'observer, ainsi qu'à nous souvenir que c'était le Seigneur qui avait dit: «Mais un temps viendra où l'Époux leur sera enlevé, et alors ils jeûneront» (Mt 9,15). Nous avons le désir de vivre pas seulement en accomplissant un précepte auquel nous y sommes obligés mais —surtout— en essayant d'arriver à y trouver l'esprit qui nous fasse éprouver cette pratique du Carême qui va nous aider dans notre progrès spirituel.

En cherchant ce sentiment profonde, nous pouvons nous demander: quel est le véritable jeûne? Dans la première lecture d'aujourd'hui, le prophète Isaïe, nous parle du jeûne qui plaît à Dieu: «N'est-ce pas partager ton pain avec celui qui a faim, recueillir chez toi le malheureux sans abri, couvrir celui que tu verras sans vêtement, ne pas te dérober à ton semblable. Alors ta lumière jaillira comme l'aurore, et tes forces reviendront rapidement. Ta justice marchera devant toi, et la gloire du Seigneur t'accompagnera» (Is 58,7-8). Il plaît à Dieu qui attend de nous tout ce qui puisse nous mener à l'amour authentique à nos frères.

Chaque année, le Saint Père Jean Paul II nous adressait un message de Carême. Dans un de ces messages, sous la devise «Il y a plus de bonheur à donner qu'à recevoir» (Ac 20,35), ses paroles nous aidèrent à découvrir cette même dimension charitable du jeûne, laquelle, du plus profond de notre cœur, nous prépare pour la Pâque avec un effort à nous identifier, chaque fois de plus en plus, avec l'amour de le Christ qui l'a mené jusqu'à donner sa vie dans la Croix. En définitive, «ce que chaque chrétien doit faire en tout temps doit être recherché maintenant avec plus d'empressement et de générosité» (Saint Léon le Grand, pape).

Gospel text

(Lk 9:22-25): 

Jesus said to his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”

The Application

The Lord does not ask us to carry the cross of others, but our own. Man by his own nature would like to avoid the cross and choose the resurrection. God, who is free, grants us this freedom of choice. Choosing His laws and His will may temporarily make us suffer. However, we must believe that God, who is full of goodness and generosity, would never wish us suffering.  Therefore, let us discern in wisdom and we will have the blessing of the Lord.

Action of the day: Learn to carry your cross joyfully.
 

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”

+ Fr. Josep Mª MASSANA i Mola OFM

(Barcelona, Spain)

Today is the first Thursday of Lent. The ashes our Church laid yesterday on our forehead are still fresh; and are meant to remind us of a forty days journey. In the Gospel, Jesus, shows us two routes: the way of the cross he must undergo, and our own way to follow him.

His path is the Way of the Cross and that of death, but also that of His Glory: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” (Lk 9:22). The route we must take is, essentially, the same one Jesus took, and He shows us how to follow it: “If anyone wishes to come after me…” (Lk 9:23).

Hugging his Cross, Jesus complied with the Will of His Father; as for us, carrying ours on our shoulders, we follow him in his Way of the Cross.

The path of Jesus is summarized in three words: suffering, dying, raising from the dead. Three aspects constitute our own footpath too (two attitudes and the essence of our Christian vocation): Self-Denial, taking up our cross every day of our life and following Jesus.

If we do not deny ourselves and do not take up our cross, we are only seeking to affirm and be ourselves; we want «to save our life», as Jesus says. Yet, by wanting to save it, we will lose it. On the other hand, those who, because of Jesus, will not strive to avoid their suffering and the cross, will save their lives. It is the resulting paradox of our following Jesus: “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”(Lk 9:25).

Our Lord's words, closing today's Gospel, tremendously shook Saint Ignatius and sparked off his conversion: “What would happen if I would do just as saint Francis and saint Dominic did?” If only, in this Lent, the same words would help us to reach our conversion, too...!

Texte de l'Évangile

(Lc 9,22-25): 

Jésus disait à ses disciples: "Il faut que le Fils de l'homme souffre beaucoup, qu'il soit rejeté par les anciens, les chefs de prêtres et les scribes, qu'il soit tué, et que, le troisième jour, il ressuscite". Il disait aussi à la foule: «Celui qui veut marcher à ma suite, qu'il renonce à lui-même, qu'il prenne sa croix chaque jour, et qu'il me suive. Car celui qui veut sauver sa vie la perdra; mais celui qui perdra sa vie pour moi la sauvera. Quel avantage un homme aura-t-il à gagner le monde entier, si c'est en se perdant lui-même et en le payant de sa propre existence?».

L’Application

Le Seigneur ne nous demande pas de porter la croix des autres, mais la nôtre. L'homme, par sa propre nature, voudrait éviter la croix et choisir la résurrection. Dieu, qui est libre, nous accorde cette liberté de choix. Choisir ses lois et sa volonté peut nous faire souffrir temporairement. Cependant, nous devons croire que Dieu, qui est plein de bonté et de générosité, ne voudrait jamais nous faire souffrir. Par conséquent, discernons avec sagesse et nous aurons la bénédiction du Seigneur.

«Celui qui veut marcher à ma suite, qu'il renonce à lui-même, qu'il prenne sa croix chaque jour, et qu'il me suive»

+ Abbé Josep Mª MASSANA i Mola OFM

(Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui premier jeudi du Carême, les cendres que l'Église nous a mises sur le front sont encore fraîches. Elles nous introduisaient à ce temps sacré qui est un trajet de quarante jours. Jésus, dans l'Évangile, nous montre deux voies: le Via Crucis qu'il Lui faut parcourir; notre propre chemin, à sa suite.

Sa voie, c'est celle du Chemin de Croix et de mort, mais aussi celle de sa glorification: «Il faut que le Fils de l'homme souffre beaucoup, qu'il soit rejeté (…), qu'il soit tué, et que, le troisième jour, il ressuscite» (Lc 9,22). Pour l'essentiel, notre chemin ne diffère pas de celui de Jésus, qui nous indique d'ailleurs la manière de le suivre: «Celui qui veut marcher à ma suite…» (Lc 9,23).

En embrassant sa Croix, Jésus a fait la Volonté du Père; nous, en prenant la nôtre sur nos épaules, nous l'accompagnons dans son Via Crucis.

Le chemin de Jésus se résume en trois mots: souffrance, mort, résurrection. Notre chemin comporte aussi trois aspects (deux attitudes et l'essence de la vocation chrétienne): renoncer à nous-mêmes, prendre la croix de chaque jour et accompagner Jésus.

Celui qui ne renonce pas à lui-même et ne prend pas sa croix, veut s'affirmer et être lui-même, il veut «sauver sa vie», comme dit Jésus. Mais en voulant la sauver, il la perd. En revanche, celui qui, à cause de Jésus, ne cherche pas à éviter la souffrance et la croix, celui-là sauvera sa vie. Tel est le paradoxe du disciple de Jésus: «Quel avantage un homme aura-t-il à gagner le monde entier, si c'est en se perdant lui-même et en le payant de sa propre existence?» (Lc 9,25).

Cette parole du Seigneur, qui clôt l'Évangile du jour, a transpercé le cœur de saint Ignace et provoqué sa conversion: «Qu'adviendrait-il si je faisais ce que fit saint François et ce que fit saint Dominique?» Ah si, pendant ce Carême, la même parole nous aidait aussi à nous convertir!

Today we begin Lent, marking the ashes as a sign of repentance and conversion. For me personally, it is a joyful moment. A moment of silence and interiorisation. I force myself, as much as possible, to spend a lot of my time in prayer and contemplation. Thus I will find the inner peace and serenity. It is thus, a favourable moment of reconciliation and sharing. On these days I find many of my brothers and sisters open and welcoming. Very good moment to renew and build a healthy relationship. Here we are, 40 days of spiritual celebration and rejuvenation of my energy. 

In order to make this a profitable moment, the Universal Church proposes three themes as a path to holiness, and in walking these paths, may we be right before God: Almsgiving, Prayer and Fasting. Almsgiving is synonymous with sharing. It is a call to share. Let us not reduce them by sharing our material, intellectual or spiritual goods. We must be aware that here I am sharing myself, as God gives himself in Jesus Christ. Prayer is a call to renew my relationship with God. Who is he for us? How do we call him in our daily lives? Can we name him? And the third one, many of us, we understand hastily, as fasting from certain things, like jealousy, or wickedness, etc . For me personally, fasting symbolically invites me to empty myself, to empty all that I have accumulated all my life, which is against the divine will. I empty myself, so that God may fill me with his grace.

This is not oriented towards success, rather towards faithfulness. In our fidelity to the divine will, we will realise that the way each of us would like to pray or fast or give alms will not be the same for others. I accept this difference and respect the sensitivity of others.  In my activities I try to associate and learn to do with my brothers and sisters. I feel spiritually the presence of my family, friends and the whole community. In my activities, even in my contemplation, I am not alone. To live this Lenten season in a meaningful way, pleasing to God, I invite you to freely choose one of the three means (almsgiving, prayer and fasting). It is necessary to personalise it and apply it radically and sensitively, because they are all linked with each other.

Lent is also a time to rejuvenate. By rereading our life of the day and of the past, we can easily discover our talents, qualities, etc., which we no longer use. We need to renew and reorganise them, so that they are useful, not only to us, but also to others.  By renewing the good habits we have forgotten, we can easily relive our youthfulness in a different way. When we were children, we were faithful. Let us once again become like that child who so loved his God. The prophet Joel reminds us, "Return to the Lord your God, for he is tender and merciful, slow to anger and full of love." Let us be lovers of God. God bless you all.

Gospel text

(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.”

The Application

Today's gospel teaches us two important points for our Christian living. Firstly, our God is a faithful God. Faithful to all that he has promised us. Because our God is faithful, we can always trust in his goodness and generosity. Giving up anything in the name of God, is a gain. 

The second is that a life totally dedicated to God will never be lost. We have naturally learned in our daily life, and do practice it very often, that to acquire something more precious, we give up some secondary elements or less important things. Just as a merchant who has found a precious treasure, will sell everything he has earned all his life, so that he can buy this treasure, we must sell everything we have, for all that God gives us, and there is no price that we can pay.

Action of the Day: Give God the first place.

“Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house (…) for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age (…) and eternal life in the age to come”

Fr. Jordi SOTORRA i Garriga

(Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, just like that landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard, the Lord is seeking disciples, followers and friends. His, is a universal call. A captivating offer, the Lord entrust us with! On one condition, though. One condition that may dishearten us: “for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel” you are to leave “house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands” (cf. Mk 10:29).

But, is there any compensation? Shall there be any reward? Shall we make any gain out of it? Peter, in the name of the Apostles, reminds the Master: “We have given up everything and followed you” (Mk 10:28), as if asking: what benefit shall we get?

The Lord's promise is very generous: “you will receive a hundred times more now in this present age (…) and eternal life in the age to come” (cf Mk 10:30). He cannot be surpassed as far as generosity. But He adds: “with persecutions.” Jesus is very realistic and He does not want to deceive anybody. To be a disciple of his, if we are truly so, will bring us troubles and problems. However, Jesus considers persecutions and troubles a reward, for they help us to grow, if we accept and live through them as an opportunity to gain in maturity and responsibility. Whatever act of sacrifice makes us more like Jesus Christ who, by dying in the Cross, saves us.

We have always time to revise our life and get closer to Jesus Christ, especially during the times of Advent and Lent. Through prayer and the sacraments, these times and all times, we can find out whether we are amongst the disciples He is seeking, and decide which our answer must be to that call. Next to radical responses (such as those from the Apostles) there are others. For many, “to leave house, brothers or sisters, or father or mother…” will just mean whatever unable us to live deeply in Jesus' close friendship and, as a consequence, become his testimony before the world. And this is urgent, don't you think so?

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mc 10,28-31): 

Pierre se mit à dire à Jésus: «Voilà que nous avons tout quitté pour te suivre». Jésus déclara: «Amen, je vous le dis: personne n'aura quitté, à cause de moi et de l'Évangile, une maison, des frères, des sœurs, une mère, un père, des enfants ou une terre, sans qu'il reçoive, en ce temps déjà, le centuple: maisons, frères, sœurs, mères, enfants et terres, avec des persécutions, et, dans le monde à venir, la vie éternelle. Beaucoup de premiers seront derniers, et les derniers seront les premiers».

L’Application

L'évangile d'aujourd'hui nous enseigne deux points importants pour notre vie chrétienne. Premièrement, notre Dieu est un Dieu fidèle. Fidèle à tout ce qu'il nous a promis. Parce que notre Dieu est fidèle, nous pouvons toujours avoir confiance en sa bonté et sa générosité.

La deuxième est qu'une vie totalement consacrée à Dieu ne sera jamais perdue. Nous avons naturellement appris dans notre vie quotidienne, et nous le pratiquons très souvent, que pour acquérir quelque chose de plus précieux, nous renonçons à certains éléments secondaires ou à des choses moins importantes. Tout comme un marchand qui a trouvé un trésor précieux, vendra tout ce qu'il a gagné durant toute sa vie, afin de pouvoir acheter ce trésor, nous devons vendre tout ce que nous avons, car tout ce que Dieu nous donne, il n'y a pas de prix que nous puissions payer.

«Personne n'aura quitté, à cause de moi et de l'Évangile, une maison, sans qu'il reçoive, en ce temps déjà, le centuple, et, dans le monde à venir, la vie éternelle»

Abbé Jordi SOTORRA i Garriga

(Sabadell, Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, comme ce maître qui allait chaque matin au village afin de recruter la main d'œuvre pour travailler dans sa vigne, le Seigneur cherche des disciples, des gens qui le suivent, des amis. Son appel est universel. Il s'agit d'une offre fascinante! Le Seigneur met en nous sa confiance. Mais il pose une condition pour être son disciple, condition qui peut nous décourager: il faut quitter «une maison, des frères, des soeurs, une mère, un père, des enfants, ou une terre» «à cause de moi et de l'Évangile» (Mc 10,29).

Et il n'y a pas de contreprestation? Il n'y aura pas de récompense? Ceci nous donnera-t-il quelque type de bénéfice? Pierre, au nom des Apôtres, rappelle au Maître: «Voilà que nous avons tout quitté pour te suivre» (Mc 10,28). C'est sa façon de lui demander: que tirerons-nous de tout cela?

La promesse du Seigneur est généreuse: «En ce temps déjà, le centuple (…) et, dans le monde à venir, la vie éternelle» (Mc 10,30). Personne ne peut surpasser cette générosité. Mais il ajoute: «Avec des persécutions». Jésus est réaliste et ne veut pas nous tromper. Être son disciple, si nous le sommes à part entière, implique difficultés et problèmes. Mais Jésus considère les persécutions et les difficultés comme une récompense, dans la mesure où elles nous aident à grandir, si nous savons les accepter comme une occasion de grandir en maturité et en responsabilité. Tout ce qui est occasion de sacrifice nous rend semblable à Jésus-Christ qui nous sauve à travers sa mort sur la Croix.

Nous sommes toujours à temps de faire rétrospective sur notre vie et de nous rapprocher de Jésus-Christ. Ce temps nous permet —à travers la prière et les sacrements— d'examiner si parmi les disciples qu'Il cherche nous nous y trouvons, et nous verrons également quelle devrait être notre réponse à cet appel. Parmi certaines réponses radicales (comme celle des Apôtres) il en existe bien d'autres. Pour plusieurs, quitter «une maison, des frères, des soeurs, une mère, un père…» signifiera laisser tout ce qui nous empêche de vivre avec intensité l'amitié avec Jésus-Christ et, conséquemment, agir comme ses témoins devant le monde. Et ceci ne te paraît-il pas urgent?

Gospel text

(Mk 10:17-27): 

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.’ He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through [the] eye of [a] needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”

The Application

Lord, I know that you have already given me everything I need in my daily life. Yet I do not always feel complete, there is something deeply nagging and disturbing within me. Today I come before you, so that you may be my Master and I may be your disciple. I believe this is the best way to quench my inner thirst. For this, you offer me two paths, an ordinary path, for an ordinary life, following my conscience, putting into practice the evangelical values that I have already learned from my childhood, in my daily life. You wish that I follow all that is proposed by this world, as what is just and correct. You trust the world and all that the people of good will propose to the humanity.

Since I am not happy of this ordinary life, (as usual), you propose yet another path, your own path that you yourself have travelled, a path of holiness, a path of perfection, a path par excellence. For this, you invite me to empty myself, to make myself vulnerable, to become poor before you, a little one, very little in your presence. Somehow you invite me to trust in you and in your providence. Help me, Lord, to understand well that if you ask me to empty myself, that you can fill me, and if you ask me to be poor before the eyes of this world, that you can make me rich before God. Yes Lord, I will sell everything, and become your disciple, Amen.

Action of the day: Learn to be rich before God.
 

“Go, sell what you have and give the money to the poor. Then come and follow me”

Fr. Joaquim PETIT Llimona, L.C.

(Barcelona, Spain)

Today, the liturgy presents a Gospel, which, if we face it with a sincere heart, makes it difficult for us to remain unconcerned.

Nobody can doubt of the good intentions of that man who knelt down before Jesus Christ to ask him: “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mk 10:17). St. Mark tells us that it is clear that in the man's heart there was a need for something else, for we must assume that —as a good Israelite— he knew quite well what the Law said, but, deep inside him, he felt an uneasiness, a need to go further on and, hence, his questioning Jesus.

In our Christian life we must learn to master that tendency we have to consider our faith just a mere matter of fulfillment. Our faith is much more than that. It is a sincere adhesion to Someone's heart, Someone who is God. When we set our heart upon something, we also place our life therein and, in the case of our faith, we then overcome the conformism that seems to grip the existence of so many believers. He who truly loves is never satisfied with giving just anything. He who loves is seeking a close and personal relationship; he takes advantage of the smallest details and knows how to discover in everything an opportunity to grow in his love. He who loves surrenders himself.

In fact, Jesus' reply to that man is an open door to his total deliverance to love: “Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” (Mk 10:21). It is not a matter of quitting everything for the sake of it; it is actually quitting to abandon oneself into Jesus' hands and it is abandoning oneself because that is a the genuine expression of one's loving. It would be great if our relation with God is of such magnitude. To pray, to serve, to work, to excel, to sacrifice oneself... all these are forms of deliverance and, consequently, forms of love. Let the Lord find in ourselves not only a sincere heart, but also a generous heart open to the demands of love. Because —as John Paul II said— “the love which comes from God, a tender and spousal love, gives rise to profound and radical demands.”