Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
(Sirach 17:20-24; Mark 10:17-27)
In northern climes it is customary to think of death
toward the end of the year when days grow short and winds chill the bones. Perhaps this is why All Souls Day is fixed in
November. But today is a good day to
reflect on death as the United States government has set it apart to remember
the dead.
Memorial Day originated after the Civil War to remember the
more than one-half million fallen soldiers in that conflict. It was placed at the end of May when flowers
are in full bloom to decorate the graves of the war dead. Americans soon came to cemeteries on Memorial
Day to pray for all their beloved dead. Nowadays
many people tend to take a vacation on the extended weekend, but some consideration
of the dead is still in order. After all
if people to do not sufficiently reflect on death, they cannot adequately understand
life.
The author of today’s first reading believes that death
is the final event for a person. The dead
may be remembered afterwards, but they will have no consciousness of the tribute.
In the gospel Jesus suggests another view of death. Acknowledging the validity of the man’s
question about eternal life, Jesus assumes that death can be transcended. For this to happen, one must rely not on one’s
resources – be it wealth, education, or energy -- but completely on God. Unfortunately, the man in the gospel is not
willing to go that far in faith. We pray
now that our dead loved ones along with all those who died defending their
country have submitted themselves to God in faith. We also pray for ourselves, as the reading
from Sirach suggests, that we too may come to complete reliance on God.
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