First Reading
Wisdom 7:7-11

I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her, nor did I liken any priceless gem to her; because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand, and before her, silver is to be accounted mire. Beyond health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather than the light, because the splendor of her never yields to sleep. Yet all good things together came to me in her company, and countless riches at her hands.

Second Reading
Hebrews 4:12-13

Brothers and sisters: Indeed the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.

Gospel Cycle Cycle B
Mark 10:17-30

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.” He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”

This week the readings invite us to consider prudence and wisdom as important in our spiritual lives. The first reading, from the Book of Wisdom, speaks directly about this virtues. The reading should encourage us to pray for the gifts of prudence and wisdom in our lives. It is clear from the author who writes that only by asking for these gifts will we receive them.

The second reading, from the Letter to the Hebrews, reminds us that the Word of God that forms us. This Word touches every aspect of our lives, if we are attentive. We need not fear being naked and exposed to the God who loves us. We are aware that we are sinners and that allowing God to touch us as we are brings salvation. The Word of God invites us to live in confidence and trust rather than fear. With this reading, we remember the words of the Gospel of John: I have come not to condemn, but to save.

The Gospel of Mark shows us a man who is eager to follow Jesus and who wants very much to be faithful to God. When Jesus questions this man, he encounters a very good man. Only one thing is lacking—and this is a personal and direct request of our Lord to his man: Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.

This man, so eager and so good, cannot bring himself to follow what the Lord asks of him. We do not know what happened to this man later on. Perhaps he was able to follow the Lord. We know that in our own lives, we are not always eager to give all that we have to the Lord. We human tend to hold on to things that we think are important to us, even when we know that they block our following of God.

We want to have the wisdom to follow Jesus. This wisdom can help us let go of everything that blocks us from God. We want to have prudence so that we are not fanatics in a bad way, but nevertheless totally committed to the Lord Jesus in every aspect of our lives.

This Sunday we can pray with these readings and ask God to transform our hearts so that God’s word forms us and transforms us.