Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
He Went Away Sad
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. When his wife dies, Ezekiel is not allowed by God to mourn. This is a symbolic action prefiguring that when the temple is destroyed, and many of the people are killed at the total destruction of the city and the going into exile, no one will be left to mourn.
Gospel. We probably pity the young man in today’s gospel for not having the courage to give up his wealth for a higher good. He was a just man, full of goodwill, eager for more than an average, contented life. Yet when Jesus’ call is directed to him, he cannot decide to give up his possessions to become fully happy. But are we better than he? Are we willing to share, also when it hurts, also at a cost to ourselves?
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
we are eager to follow your Son
wherever he leads us,
but not if we have to give up
our little or big attachments to things or persons.
God, give us the mentality of your Son
and his Spirit of courage,
that with Jesus we may not count the cost
of giving ourselves to people and to you.
Be you our only God and our all
now and for ever.
First Reading
Death of the Wife
The word of the Lord came to me:
“Son of man, I am about to take away the delight of your eyes from you suddenly, but you are not to lament, weep, or let tears flow.
Groan in silence and do not mourn for the dead; wear your turban, put on your sandals, do not cover your beard, and do not eat the customary food of mourners.”
I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died that evening. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.
Then the people said to me: “Explain to us the meaning of your actions.”
I told them: “The word of the Lord came to me in these words:
‘Say to Israel: I am about to profane my Sanctuary, your pride, the delight of your eyes that you long for. The sons and daughters you left behind will also fall by the sword,
but you will do as I have done: you will not cover your beard or eat the usual food of mourners;
you will keep your turbans on your heads and sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or weep. Instead, because of your sin, you will waste away and groan among yourselves.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (see 18a) You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you.
You forgot the God who gave you birth.
When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathing
and anger toward his sons and daughters.
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“I will hide my face from them,” he said,
“and see what will then become of them.
What a fickle race they are,
sons with no loyalty in them!”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“Since they have provoked me with their ‘no-god’
and angered me with their vain idols,
I will provoke them with a ‘no-people’;
with a foolish nation I will anger them.”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
The Rich Young Man
That was when a young man approached him and asked:
“Master, what good work must I do to receive eternal life?”
Jesus answered:
“Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only One who is good. If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments.”
The young man asked:
“Which commandments?”
Jesus answered:
“Do not kill; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness;
honor your father and mother. And love your neighbor as yourself.”
The young man asked him:
“I have kept all these commandments. What do I still lack?”
Jesus answered:
“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell all that you possess and give the money to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me.”
Hearing this, the young man left feeling sad, for he was a man of great wealth.
Prayers of the Faithful
– For people who have a hard time to share their riches, that the Lord open their eyes to the needs of people, we pray:
– For those who hear the Lord calling them to special vocations in the Church, that they may generously answer that call, we pray:
– For all of us, that we may appreciate God’s gifts with gratitude and use them for the good of all, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
with this bread and this wine
we welcome your Son in our midst.
As he places himself into our hands,
entirely and without holding anything back,
may he give us the strength
to go with him all the way,
without looking back
and without counting the cost,
For he is our Lord forever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
you have satisfied our hunger
for food that lasts.
Let it be a hunger that cannot be stilled
for you, for people, for life in its fullness.
Give us the courage to sacrifice everything
for Jesus and his gospel,
that with him we may give you
not only the best of what we have
but our whole selves, our all,
by the power of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
“What do I lack?” We think perhaps that, in good faith and without boasting, we have done much for the Lord. Have we given ourselves? What is there that we could not give up? May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Matthew 19:16-22
We Receive What We GiveIn life, we often wonder why bitterness, restlessness, or sadness follow us. But let me ask you—what are you giving to others? We receive what we give. If you plant peace, you will reap peace. If you sow bitterness, you cannot expect joy to blossom. Your actions are not separate from your heart—they reveal it. So, let us begin by healing what we carry within. A peaceful heart will bring peace to the family, the workplace, even the Church.
Too often, we reduce faith to moral checklists: “Did I sin? Did I not?” Yes, morality is important—it guides us, like the Ten Commandments, small lights on our journey. But faith is not only about rules. Faith is about relationship. It is about encountering Jesus, who loves us and calls us to freedom. A faith without love, without joy, without generosity, is dry and burdensome.
The rich young man in the Gospel walked away sad—not because Jesus rejected him, but because he couldn’t let go. He clung to things that gave him security, but not life. And we do the same. We hold on to possessions, to pride, to comforts that numb us but do not satisfy. They weigh us down.
To follow Jesus is to give, to let go, to trust. Not because God wants to take things from us, but because He wants to give us more—more freedom, more joy, more heaven.
So today, examine your life with sincerity. What are you holding on to that does not lead you to God? What weight must you release to fly higher?
Don’t be afraid. Give freely. Love deeply. Forgive generously. And you will discover: what you give is what returns to you—pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing with grace.