Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
August 16, 2021
Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 419
Reading I
The children of Israel offended the LORD by serving the Baals.
Abandoning the LORD, the God of their fathers,
who led them out of the land of Egypt,
they followed the other gods of the various nations around them,
and by their worship of these gods provoked the LORD.
Because they had thus abandoned him and served Baal and the Ashtaroth,
the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel,
and he delivered them over to plunderers who despoiled them.
He allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies round about
whom they were no longer able to withstand.
Whatever they undertook, the LORD turned into disaster for them,
as in his warning he had sworn he would do,
till they were in great distress.
Even when the LORD raised up judges to deliver them
from the power of their despoilers,
they did not listen to their judges,
but abandoned themselves to the worship of other gods.
They were quick to stray from the way their fathers had taken,
and did not follow their example of obedience
to the commandments of the LORD.
Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge
and save them from the power of their enemies
as long as the judge lived;
it was thus the LORD took pity on their distressful cries
of affliction under their oppressors.
But when the judge died,
they would relapse and do worse than their ancestors,
following other gods in service and worship,
relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct.
Responsorial Psalm
106:34-35, 36-37, 39-40, 43ab and 44
- (4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They did not exterminate the peoples,
as the LORD had commanded them,
But mingled with the nations
and learned their works.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They served their idols,
which became a snare for them.
They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They became defiled by their works,
and wanton in their crimes.
And the LORD grew angry with his people,
and abhorred his inheritance.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Many times did he rescue them,
but they embittered him with their counsels.
Yet he had regard for their affliction
when he heard their cry.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Alleluia
- Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
A young man approached Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”
He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
He asked him, “Which ones?”
And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The young man said to him,
“All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.
Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Stephen of Hungary
Reflection: FOLLOWING THE REAL TREASURE
On reading this passage there are two emotions that I encounter. One is sadness - the young man went away grieving and the other is confusion. Why does Jesus make such a high demand from the rich young man? Jesus never ceases to challenge us. He takes precedence over our hearts and our attachments. Daily life shows the dangers of attachments, possessions. The young child is attracted and possesses his/her toys, gifts, etc. An adult is attached to his house, mobile, cars, estate, etc. In fact people organise their lives around these and Jesus takes second place. Jesus gives us gifts, possessions, etc., to make us use them as he invites us to do so. A Jesuit novice master would tell his novices to be simple. They should be 'seen' as poor and even the clothes they wear should be simple and not of a rich quality. The novices took their good clothes and Sunday specials and kept it in their trunks in the box room. Next year a new novice master was appointed and he was not so insistent on poverty. The novices slowly went back to the box room and started wearing their good clothes. The previous novice master was invited to give a recollection one day and when he saw the novices wearing their good clothes which they had put away during his term, he said, “Jesus did not tell us to keep the clothes aside, he said to give it to the poor. Once given to the poor we will not get it back”. This is the giving and living in poverty, without attachments. To follow Jesus perfectly, we should be detached from anything that could prevent us from giving of ourselves to the service of Jesus and his Kingdom.