Rely not on your wealth or strength

Eccles. 5:1-10, Mk 9:41-50. Today's first reading reminds us that God can choose to wield wrath against us when we lean on wealth, privilege and power through sin. Sirach offers consoling advice, “Rely not on your wealth or strength” since overconfidence merely adds sin to sin. At the same time, he clearly sees the possibility of personal conversion, which should not be put off from our daily activities. This is in line with the message of today's Gospel, that temptations to sin are great and we must take care to get rid of the ‘great millstone’. Jesus is very critical of those who are stumbling block to the faith of others, those who undermine and weaken other people’s faith. He issues a warning against leading others astray and leading them away from God.

Part of our baptismal calling is to nurture the faith of one another; to do the contrary is a grievous sin. He moves on from how people can be a stumbling block to others and being obstacles in ones relationship with God. When Jesus says, “if your eye should cause you to sin, tear it out”, He means that, any relationship or attachment to things, even if they are as close to us as our hands, feet and eyes but becomes stumbling block, to our relationship with the Lord, such relationship should be cut off. Our calling is to give our whole selves to the Lord and His way.

May the Lord purify our hearts by rooting out all evil desires, inordinate passions and unholy plan! Amen!! Good morning and have a glorious day!!!