28h Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Cycle “B" – October 15, 2006)

Q. 393:   The Gospel speaks of Selling My Possessions and Camels and Needles… how can I make this story (Mk 10:17-30) relevant to my own life?

A. 393:   One of the ways that St. Ignatius encourages us to grow in our spirituality is by having us enter into the Gospel story we are reading.   Become any one of the characters, and try to hear Jesus’ message from that viewpoint. Let’s assume that you are not rich – that you are just an average middle-class Jane Doe or John Doe. Does that mean you are “home free” and can breathe a sigh of relief about parting with your own “things”? No.

Now I’m not asking you to “become the Camel,” but instead to focus on what that Camel means in your own life. So you’re not rich? Well, here’s the thing: you still have a “Camel” in your life, a barrier to the fullness of the spiritual life which awaits you. So what is your particular “Camel”? Even the apostles had a “camel,” such as pride (arguing about who was the greatest or jockeying for positions of honor in the kingdom they anticipated).

There are a lot of ways to find out what your own “camel” is. The easiest way is to ask your spouse! Another way might be to reflect on which item on your confession list gets repeated the most often (assuming you have conducted a thorough examination of conscience). But the way I like the most is to take the way of St. Ignatius. First ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten you to recognize your “camel.” Then select a character in the Gospel story and “become” that person – perhaps the rich man, or one of the disciples, or one of the crowd hearing the story. Then slowly read and meditate on the words of Jesus. God will speak to your heart.

KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! If you need help in trying this kind of meditation, go to Creighton University’s “Online Retreat,” Week 14 and follow the sound advice offered there (http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/retreat-print/print-week14.html). Meditation is a quest to understand what God is asking, and is a lifelong process (CCC #2705-8).

Deacon Paul Rooney
Mary Our Queen Parish, Omaha

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