The Word God Spells

Mark 10: 28-31
Sir 35:1-12 / Ps 50:5-8,14,23

No one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this life… and in the age to come eternal life.
(Mark 10: 29,30)

To those who serve unselfishly,
God’s blessings flow abundantly;
With grateful hearts let’s strive to be
His channels of generosity.

Jesus had just told His disciples how hard it was for men to enter the kingdom of God without God’s assistance when Peter began to say to him, “Lord, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this life, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first.”

Reflection

Our Lord’s message in today’s Gospel of Mark is that those who are willing to make sacrifices for the sake of others or for a worthy cause will certainly reap greater rewards in this life and in the eternal life to come. Even the persecutions that come with one’s giving will bring forth a miracle or manifestation of God’s goodness.

When I accepted the job of heading the operation quick-count of election returns in our city, there was no assurance of adequate funding to support the volunteers in the field and in the computer and tabulation centers. It was purely out of trust in God’s providence that we believed assistance would be forthcoming. On the day before the elections, a member of our running club gave the moral and financial boost that we needed when he pledged to donate 600 dinner packs from his fastfood restaurant. Another member supplied all the distilled water for coffee and drinking that we needed, and still another member provided a big supply of 3-in-1 coffee. But I believe it was the Lord Himself who gave the greatest reward for our efforts – the little miracle of accomplishing 80% of the tabulation and remittance of the election returns in less than a week after the elections, way ahead of the Comelec and all the other provincial chapters of the National Movement for Free Elections. We were the last chapter of Namfrel to be organized, but we were one of the first to finish the job.

It is not money or material resources that assure the success of whatever mission we are appointed to do. It is our full trust in God, Who will reciprocate our faith with a miracle that will enrich that faith even more. For it is when we are “poor in spirit” that we become rich in God’s glory. “As for the rich in this world, tell them not to be proud, and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth, but rather on God, Who richly furnishes us with all things to enjoy. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, liberal and generous, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, that they may win the life which is true life indeed.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

Thank you, Father for the little miracles that You manifest in our lives; they increase our faith in Your Providence, and draw us closer to You and Your Son, Jesus. Amen.