Priest Speaks on the Journey to Eternal Life

A congregation was inspired by a homily on a reading from the gospel Mark this Sunday, given by one of the priests of the Catholic Church, John XXIII, held on the University of Tennessee’s campus.

Mass was led by Rev. Paul Rospond, who spoke on the gospel reading from the book of Mark, which tells a story of a man who asks Jesus how to inherit eternal life.

In the Gospel, Jesus tells the man to “go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” Rev. Rospond said that the man in the story represents an “everyman,” and we are all on a journey to get to the kingdom of heaven.

The man in the Gospel is asked to give up his wealth in order to continue in his journey. According to Rev. Rospond, each one of us has something that we must be willing to give up. “But to you and me it might be something else,” said Rev. Rospond.

Rev. Rospond used an example of a woman who gave up make-up for Lent to spend time with her family. He also identified the story with a frat boy who gave up alcohol to build a better relationship with God.

“If there is an obstacle in this journey… cut it out,” said Rev. Rospond, “Is God’s love a greater gift to you than anything?”

Rev. Rospond said that every catholic struggles with their faith but assured the congregation that “with God, all things are possible.”

October 15th was the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. This season of the Catholic liturgical year begins after Pentecost Sunday, the end of the Easter season, and ends at the beginning of Advent. Advent is a time for the Catholic Church to prepare for the Christmas season.