What happens when we do not like to hear the harsh truths of right living and right worship of the Lord our God? We shut our ears! We stop listening to Him for His word and will for us! How then can we hope to enter to new life with our Lord upon our death?
Remember what Abraham said to the rich man in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus? ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ St James gives us a similar warning in today’s first reading. How we should do all we can to care for the least of our brethren.
The last thing we want to do is to remain aloof while there is suffering around us or to lead anyone astray. For as disciples of our Lord, we are accountable to Him. We have to strive to stay awake! Be a peace with one another, striving to be salt and light in the world. Amen
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First reading
James 5:1-6 ·
The Lord hears the cries of those you have cheated
An answer for the rich. Start crying, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is all rotting, your clothes are all eaten up by moths. All your gold and your silver are corroding away, and the same corrosion will be your own sentence, and eat into your body. It was a burning fire that you stored up as your treasure for the last days. Labourers mowed your fields, and you cheated them – listen to the wages that you kept back, calling out; realise that the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. On earth you have had a life of comfort and luxury; in the time of slaughter you went on eating to your heart’s content. It was you who condemned the innocent and killed them; they offered you no resistance.
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Gospel
Mark 9:41-50
If your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.
‘But anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. And if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out. And if your foot should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye should cause you to sin, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm does not die nor their fire go out. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is a good thing, but if salt has become insipid, how can you season it again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.’
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