We begin the final and short Eighth Week of Ordinary Time prior to the season of Lent. The readings suggest wisdom and happiness occur when we place ourselves and our hearts in service of God and those we meet on our mundane day to day encounters. Giving oneself away is indeed a gift. This is a question that we often find ourselves asking, just like the rich young man in the Gospel of Mark. Perhaps we turn the question into a dilemma. How do the readings in Mark and in Sirach give us the gift of hope to turn towards what is good rather than away from good?

Here are the readings for Monday, March 3 from the Book of Sirach and the Gospel of Mark.

(painting above “Christ and the Rich Young Ruler” by Katherine Sanders)

Read pages 24 and 25 of the Xaverian Charism Project of the Xaverian Brothers.

Read the obituary of Brother Robert Sullivan, CFX.

(Above photo of Brother Robert Sullivan, CFX-Xaverian Brothers)

1. In the Book of Sirach we hear the phrase “return to (God).” What does this apply about where God is in relation to us? In other words, how can turning towards the mystery that we call God make our own self-knowledge clearer?
2. Note the little details in the icon of Jesus and the rich young man. Consider the symbolism of the water, the flowers, and the creatures crawling underneath the young man’s feet.
3. The story of Jesus and the rich young man has always been one of my favorite narratives about Jesus. The reason is because it ends with a cliffhanger-we know that the man walks away sad, but what does he decide to do or not do?