28B SUNDAY HOMILY, MARK 10:17-30, OCTOBER 13, 2024
1. STORY
John, a young
door-to-door book salesman, was assigned to a rural area. One day he came upon a farmer seated on a
rocking chair on his front porch. He
told the farmer he had a book that would tell him how to farm ten times better
than he was now doing. The farmer told
John he did not need this book as he already knew how to farm ten times better
than he was doing. He knew but lacked
the drive to do better. The rich man
also lacked the will to do better by giving up his wealth to follow Jesus.
2. GOSPEL, MARK
10:17-30
A. COME FOLLOW ME
The rich man was a good man and wanted to do better. He refused Jesus’ suggestion to follow him as a way of doing better. What prevented him was his wealth.
B. YOU WILL
RECEIVE A HUNDRED TIMES MORE
Jesus tells his
disciples that those who follow him will receive here and now a hundred times
more blessings and will also receive eternal life.
3. APPLICATION TO
LIFE
A. HOW TO FOLLOW
JESUS
To follow Jesus
means to do what he did, to act like what Jesus would act. Here are three suggestions:
i) JESUS PRAYED
Jesus prayed
often to his father. We must also pray
each day asking for Jesus’ help and thanking him for his blessings.
ii) JESUS HELPED
PEOPLE
Jesus helped
those who were physically and spiritually sick. He expelled demons, made the lame walk, and
the blind see. We help people by being
kind, understanding, and forgiving.
iii) GOOD NEWS
Jesus shared the good news. He told people that God loved them, forgave them their sins, and prepared heaven for them at the end of their lives. We also should share this good news with others.
B. OUR REWARD
Jesus will reward
us for following him.
i) STRENGTH
Jesus helps us to
live a holy life. We know the difference
between right and wrong. He still gives
us the spiritual strength, the Eucharist, to resist temptation and the strength
to do what is right.
ii) PEACE
Jesus will give
us the gift of inner peace as we follow him.
iii) HEAVEN
Jesus promised us
heaven at the end of our life. We will
live in happiness and peace with God.
4. CONCLUSION
The farmer was
not interested in farming better. The
rich man was not interested in giving up his wealth to follow Jesus. We must be willing to follow Jesus by doing
what Jesus did. We pray daily, we help
people, and we share the good news that there is a God who loves them. Jesus will reward us for following him. Jesus will give us strength, peace, and
eternal happiness, heaven. We thank
Jesus for this instruction and ask him for the strength to follow him.
