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May 25, 2016
What are the attachments in our lives? Some may be consistent with God’s will for us such as our responsibilities and dedication to family. Many of our ‘attachments’ however are actually a barrier to us hearing and living the will of God for our lives.
Peter very clearly in the first reading exhorts the reader to realize that we have been saved by the Blood of Christ and not by the perishable things of the world like silver or gold. Symbolically these ‘precious’ metals can be a metaphor for any attachments we may have that we value above their real worth especially when compared to the gifts we receive from God. We have been redeemed by the imperishable love from God through the sacrifice of Jesus; comparing this love to our own attachments shows us the folly of being tied to these things of the world.
As we are called to be ‘in’ the world and not ‘of’ the world we are also called to love one another intensely from a pure heart. Understanding that our ‘attachments’ may inhibit our ability to both hear and manifest our call to sincere brotherly love. Peter reinforces this for us with these words:
“All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory like the flower of the field;
the grass withers,
and the flower wilts;
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
Beware of our attachments of the flesh and of the world as they will wither and die.
In Mark’s Gospel, there is another message about a particular kind of attachment. Some of us, people of ‘position’ for example, have the attachment of seeking to be first among many. Mark reminds us that those that wish to be great will be called to serve, those wishing to be first among us will be the slave of all. This is an important message, and lesson, for those who strive to be leaders.