Wisdom 7:7-11; Hebrews 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30
Today’s Gospel passage from Mark 10:17-30 speaks of the Cost of Discipleship and the Challenge of Wealth. In this passage a rich man approaches Jesus, asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. His question is genuine, and he has lived a righteous life, following the commandments. Yet when Jesus calls him to deeper sacrifice—selling his possessions and giving to the poor—the man goes away sorrowful. Jesus then teaches his disciples about the difficulty of entering God's kingdom, particularly for those attached to wealth.
The challenge of wealth and attachment can be found in the Old Testament. Consider the story of King Solomon (1 Kings 11:1-11). Initially blessed with wisdom and wealth, Solomon’s heart gradually turns away from God because of his attachment to his riches and foreign wives. Though he started with a vocation as a wise ruler, his love for wealth and power caused him to lose his focus on God. He becomes an example of someone who, though gifted, strayed from his calling due to material attachments.
Another example is Lot's wife (Genesis 19:26). When God commanded Lot’s family to flee from Sodom without looking back, Lot’s wife couldn’t resist turning her gaze back to the life she was leaving. Her attachment to her past life, possibly her