Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament

Province of Saint Ann

St Ann Crown red

Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament

Province of Saint Ann

St Ann Crown red
Eymard stained glass window

Daily Eucharistic Reflections

October 13, 2024

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

“What must I do to gain eternal life? “How often does the man ask this same question in today’s reading asked by others — even by us? We want to be sure we are doing what will bring us eternal life.

We read in Hebrews that “the word of God is living and effective sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit…and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.” It appears that the man in the gospel encountered that two-edged sword. As the dialogue progresses, we are told that “Jesus, looking at him, loved him.” And that love leads to a call to a deeper relationship and commitment. The answer must have felt like a sharp sword penetrating his being. He went away sad.

The Lord calls each of us to a deeper relationship through his look of love and asks us to sell what we have and give it to the poor. For some, it is our material possessions; for others, it is giving understanding and acceptance to those with whom we differ, giving our time and care to those who need help, or giving our forgiveness to those who need healing. How often do we walk away sad because we cannot let go?

As Solomon prayed for wisdom and prudence, so should we ask for a spirit of wisdom that will enable us to understand that we do not inherit eternal life by deserving it. But by embracing God’s presence. Saint Peter Julian Eymard reminds us “know for certain and for all time that of yourself you can never accomplish anything, neither here nor there, neither today nor tomorrow, neither for this one nor for that one, and go ask God’s help before beginning — anything.”

What do I need to sell today to answer the Lord’s call?

Let us pray:

Take Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. Thou hast given all to me. To Thee, O lord, I return it. All is Thine, dispose of it wholly according to Thy will. Give me Thy love and thy grace, for this is sufficient for me.  (Saint Ignatius Loyola)

 

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We are a Catholic religious congregation of priests, deacons and brothers whose mission is to share the riches of God’s love manifested in the Eucharist.

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