“Scratchpad Reflections are daily meditations on the scripture readings for the date noted and are written by Dominican Brother Daniel Thomas to help readers gain a deeper understanding of the daily liturgies and Masses of celebration. Here is the reflection for:

May 24, 2016 – Tuesday in the 8^th Week of the Church Year

Saint for the day: David I (1080 – 1153)

Scripture Readings for today’s Liturgy:

1 Peter 1:10-16     –     Psalm 98     –     Mark 10:28-31

Peter said to Jesus, “We have given up everything…” implying “what are WE going to get!”

Competition is a human factor that can result in excellence or resentment. The choice is always there. This reminds me of the parable of the workers in the vineyard where the ones who worked only one hour get the same pay as those who worked all day. (see Matthew 20) We always see that as being unfair even though they all agreed to the “usual daily wage.

Today’s Gospel passage was always used at ceremonies when people entered religious life and in former times it was often used in ways that were not in the best interests of a healthy sense of following the Lord.  When we read this passage we only hear the “flag word” hate and all it does is turn us off from following Jesus rather than drawing us into fellowship.  The essence of what Jesus is demanding is a whole-hearted following wherein we let nothing come between us and our intention to be one with Jesus. Yet charity demands that we hate no one.

Bottom line: once again each of us must look at our lives and see what we are letting come between us and God.  Once, when I was working with a dear, old nun, I came in one morning telling her that I didn’t have time to do something she had asked me to do the day before. Without missing a beat she shook her finger at me and said, “Don’t ever say you didn’t have time to do something. You always have time to do the things you want!   Peter said to Jesus, “We have given up everything…” implying “what are WE going to get!”

Competition is a human factor that can result in excellence or resentment. The choice is always there. This reminds me of the parable of the workers in the vineyard where the ones who worked only one hour get the same pay as those who worked all day. (see Matthew 20) We always see that as being unfair even though they all agreed to the “usual daily wage.

When we read this passage we only hear the “flag word” hate and all it does is turn us off from following Jesus rather than drawing us into fellowship.  The essence of what Jesus is demanding is a whole-hearted following wherein we let nothing come between us and our intention to be one with Jesus. Yet charity demands that we hate no one.  Bottom line: once again each of us must look at our lives and see what we are letting come between us and God.

Once, when I was working with a dear, old nun, and came in one morning telling her that I didn’t have time for something she had asked me to do the day before. She shook her finger at me and said, “Don’t ever say you didn’t have time to do something. You always have time to do the things you want!” That begs the question: What do you really want to do? Think about it! Amen!