Faith Daily | 1 March 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p 544

Almighty God,

you have given your only son

to be for us both a sacrifice for sin,

and also an example of godly life:

give us grace that we may always thankfully receive

the benefits of his sacrifice,

and also daily endeavour to follow

the blessed steps of his most holy life;

through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Mark 10: 28-31

28 Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ 29Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news,*30who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Meredith Nicholls

Peter’s comments flow on from the story about the rich man who was unable to let go of his wealth to follow Jesus. Peter couldn’t help drawing on the contrast between the rich man and himself and the other disciples.

As the man had sadly declined Jesus’ invitation, he and the other disciples had accepted it and followed Jesus. They gave up much in the process. Peter wanted to know what they would get out of it.

Jesus promised that anyone that gave up anything for his sake would get it back a hundredfold. The disciples who had lost their families and friends would be brought into a far bigger family in the Christian church.

Jesus made it clear that this was no quid pro quo arrangement. He was honest in telling them that there would be a cost – the persecution that Jesus knew would come.

He spoke also of reparation in the world to come – the eternal life that they would receive.

Jesus gave a last warning about the first who would be last and the last who would be first. It is a warning against pride. God knows the motives of the human heart.

FINAL PRAYER: St Ignatius of Loyola

Take Lord, and receive, all my liberty, my memory,

my understanding and my entire will, all I have and call my own.

You Lord have given it all to me.

To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours, do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace.

That is enough for me.

Amen