The first time I encountered the phrase “the apple of my eye” was from Stevie Wonder’s 1970s hit “You Are the Sunshine of My Life.” (Disclaimer: I was still a fetus then but already a music lover!) Little did I know that the idiom came from the Bible. 

The apple of one’s eye is a Hebrew saying referring to a person’s favorite or something valuable to him or her. But literally, the Hebrew phrase means, “little man of the eye,” referring to your reflection that you see when looking into another person’s pupil. 

So, when God keeps us as the apple of His eye, it doesn’t only mean we are His favorite. It also means He’s focused on us, so closely by our side that He can see His reflection in our eyes. 

What a one-sided love our God has for us! While He keeps us as the apple of His eye, our sights are on worldly desires that dull our longing for Him. Knowing this, let’s strive to requite His love by abiding with virtues that keep us as His favorites! Rissa Singson Kawpeng (rissakawpeng@gmail.com)

reflect

You are so precious in God’s sight that He left His heavenly throne to be ever so near you. 

“Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings.” (Psalm 17:8)

St. Katherine Drexel, pray for us.

The Book of Ecclesiastes was probably written when the Greek Empire was in ascendancy. The author seems to show that the Jewish people have a history of wisdom like the Greeks. As such, the book is part history and part wisdom of the literature genre. As we read snippets from it over the next couple of weeks, let us remember its origins to help us understand the intention of the author. 

²⁰ To the penitent God provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope and has chosen for them the lot of truth. Return to him and give up sin, pray to the Lord and make your offenses few. ²¹ Turn again to the Most High and away from sin, hate intensely what he loathes, and know the justice and judgments of God. Stand firm in the way set before you, in prayer to the Most High God. ²² Who in the nether world can glorify the Most High in place of the living who offer their praise? Dwell no longer in the error of the ungodly, but offer your praise before death. ²³ No more can the dead give praise than those who have never lived; You who are alive and well shall praise and glorify God in his mercies. ²⁴ How great the mercy of the Lord, his forgiveness of those who return to him! 

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7

R: Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.

¹ Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. ² Blessed the man to whom the Lord imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile. (R) ⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not. I said, “I confess my faults to the Lord,” and you took away the guilt of my sin. (R) ⁶ For this shall every faithful man pray to you in time of stress. Though deep waters overflow, they shall not reach him. (R) ⁷ You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round. (R)

Gospel | Mark 10:17-27

Today’s dialogue between Jesus and the rich young man is about the nature of conversion. It is also relevant to society today where we prioritize material interests, and the Gospel call often seems to only be in second or third place. Is this suitable within the context of our faith? God should have the highest priority. This is the constant challenge we face: to ensure that we put God first in our lives.

Gospel Acclamation

Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

¹⁷ 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?” ¹⁸ Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. ¹⁹ 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.” ²⁰ He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” ²¹ 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.” ²² At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. ²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!” ²⁴ 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! ²⁵ 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.” ²⁶ They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “For men it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”

Read the Bible in one year! Read 3 JOHN today.

I received a call from a high school friend who could not understand why God demands us to be poor. He cited the Gospel for today: “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.”

It is one tough message. How do we reconcile this command with our desire to be successful—a well-paying job, a comfortable life for one’s family, a secured future obtained through honest endeavors? How can He deprive us of the fruits of our work? Jesus knows it’s a tough message; He certainly gets feedback from the Apostles who are bothered themselves: “Then who can be saved?”

This message is about the spirit of the Gospel, not just the letter of the law. While we may deserve the fruits of our work, such fruits come with the responsibility to share it with the less fortunate. We are to love others as ourselves. We do not live, work, and die for ourselves or for our families alone. We are also responsible for others. We would not be where we are if God did not open opportunities for us. We ought to open windows for others too. 

My favorite part of this Gospel comes right before Jesus delivers that tough message to the man seeking the way to the Kingdom of heaven. Mark tells us that Jesus looked at the man, loved him, and then demanded to sell what he has. God loves us in our imperfections, but we can’t stop there. We have to share that unconditional love to others. It should ripple off to others. This is possible if we make Jesus the center of our lives, not the entitlement that comes from the fruits of our work. Fr. Bros Flores, SJ 

reflection question

What makes it difficult for me to share the fruits of my labor?

My Lord Jesus, help me appreciate the fruits of my labor as blessings and not as rewards I am entitled to. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _________________________________________