Are you familiar with the Prosperity Gospel? It’s a relatively new movement that seeks to enrich the coffers of “preachers” by telling people that if they give generously to their (the “preacher’s) ministry, there will be abundant worldly blessings. The more generous you are, the more generous God will be to you. Pure bunk.
One of the passages used by prosperity gospel preachers is today’s Gospel reading from Mark 10, where Jesus tells His disciples that for whatever they give up “for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel,” they will receive back “a hundred times more now in this present age…”
The promises of the prosperity gospel preachers only seek to help the preacher get rich. I hope we all know that accumulating more stuff for ourselves will not draw us closer to God, but can be an impediment. It’s interesting that these words of Jesus come right after his encounter with the rich young man, whom He told to sell everything and give to the poor. You want to be rich? You want to prosper? Be poor. Be last.
Father, may we be enriched with all the spiritual blessings you desire for us. Help us to be last, that we might be first. Amen.
Lent begins tomorrow!
0 comments