THE WORD OF GOD: DISCIPLESHIP IS MAKING GOD A PRIORITY
Discipleship is making that fundamental or radical choice for God through the Word of God. Indeed, in life, we have many preferential options. God cannot be one of them. He has to be our priority above everything: wealth, power, authority and affluence.
A true disciple of Christ set God and his Kingdom above every other thing in life. This is why the discipleship call of Christ includes renouncing everything alongside oneself.
The Wisdom of God help us to reach this firm, and the fundamental decision lies in how well we are grounded in the Wisdom of God. Interestingly, the Wisdom of God is not just the Word of God but God himself.
WISDOM OF GOD IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURE
Whenever the word “Wisdom” is used scripturally. It is a personification that refers the Christ, the Incarnated Word of God. It also personified God, the Divine Source of all created things by whom we exist and have our being.
The call to discipleship of Christ is one of a radical change of mentality to the Word of God. That always demands the best of us or that challenges us to make a fundamental decision for God.
The discipleship of Christ is not one of flattery or sweet talk, or prosperity. It entails hardships, sacrifices, and sufferings. The bitter truth of the gospel is the renunciation of all and oneself.
However, there is one thing that is certain about the character and personality of Christ. He was always truthful, honest and straightforward with his disciples or followers about what it takes to follow or be his witnesses in the world.
He never promises an easy-going life, a hitch-free life or a prosperous lifestyle. There is always a cross, persecution, pain or suffering. However, this hard road and narrow way lead to glory and eternal life.
Hence, the discipleship of Christ is hard, but there is a big reward to it. A divine reward of hundredfold in this present life and eternal life. There is eternal glory as of the highest price of being a disciple of Christ.
OUR THEME
The Central Theme of the readings of this Sunday is that we need the Wisdom of God to make God the biggest priority in our lives. God must always have the place of honour and worship than us and our possessions, images, powers, authorities or affluence.
Therefore, today, the readings remind us that we do not possess anything in our life that we refuse to surrender to the Lord. They challenge us to be detached from them to be attached only to God.
Unfortunately, in life, these material things, powers or affluence often possess us. In addition, we become the prisoners of our possessions. When we give to money, material things or human power, the place of honour in our lives. God ceases to occupy the central position, and this is the tragedy of modern man.
Thus, we violate the First Great Commandment, “You shall not have other gods beside me”, which demands that we give absolute and unconditional priority to God.
As such, for us to make this single and undivided commitment to God above everything else. We need the Wisdom of God or the Word of God. This Word of God or the Wisdom of God is something alive and active that knows the secrecy of our motives, thoughts, words or actions.
When the Word of God or the Wisdom of God is our guide, the commitment to discipleship becomes easier despite the challenges or difficulties we face. Thus, true discipleship great sacrifice for God and the rewards of blessing and eternal life.
THE FIRST READING: WISDOM 7:7-11
King Solomon, the author of the Book of Wisdom, did not only personify Wisdom as the Word of God. He also praises Wisdom as that priceless treasure. That is preferable to power and authority (sceptres and thrones).
the fact is that Solomon in with all his wealth, came to the awareness that the Wisdom of God is more precious than gold and silver. (Gold is nothing but sand in her sight, and silver will be accounted as clay before her).
Equally, for this Wise and flourishing King, the Wisdom of God is more than health and beauty. She always prefers any light because her radiance never ceases (more than health and beauty).
King Solomon, who in all his wealth and riches knew that vanity of things and human life. He knows that Wisdom never ceases to exist, but everything else comes to a wretch end.
More so, all good things and uncounted wealth come through the hands of Wisdom. We need the Holy Spirit of God to ask for the Wisdom of God. In the gifts of Understanding and Wisdom, we must pray to God to help to know the differences between life and things.
This is the only way; we can make God our priority. This is how; we can effectively answer the call to discipleship to renounce everything and ourselves.
PSALM 90
The responsorial to Psalm 90 invites us to pray that the Lord will fill us with his love, and we will sing for joy. The joy of living comes with knowing that life is short and brief through Wisdom. As such, we live through our days in life and on earth fulfilling the divine plan of God.
Gaining and living with Wisdom all through our days is being kind to others from or through our afflictions. When the love of God fills us, and we gain Wisdom of heart as his servants. We come to acknowledge that only God can bless and give prosperity to the work of our hands.
According to the Psalmist, Wisdom comes from knowing that the love of God is in us. Despite the shortness of our life, we experience as mortals. Wisdom helps us find God in everything. We realize that He is the divine source of our blessings and prosperity.
THE SECOND READING: HEBREWS 4:12-13
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews makes a powerful statement about the Word of God. The Word of God is alive, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
This is the most descriptive nature, essence, use, and power of the Word of God. This is because the Word of God is powerful as God Himself. The Word of God is not distinct from God Himself. God is ever faithful and truthful to His Word, which fulfils the plan and purpose of God (Isaiah 55:11).
The Word of God is also the Wisdom of God. Hence, what is said of the Word of God applies to the Wisdom of God. The Wisdom of God is something living and active. And like any two-edged sword, it is sharper to cut open and reveal secrets, motives, intentions of men. As well as thoughts, words and actions of human beings.
THE POWER OF WORDS
The independence and power of the spoken word of God would never be ineffective. It would always do that which it was designed to do. To understand this clearly, let us look at human history with the tremendous effect of the spoken words of men.
In history, a leader coins a phrase; that becomes a trumpet call that kindles men to crusades or crimes. The most famous of these phrases in modern human history is the “Yes We Can” of former US president Barak Obama. “Yes, We Can” was a revolutionary phrase that brought out both old and young to change the political history of America. It makes white and coloured, straight and gay, come together and vote for the first-ever black president in the history of the United States of America.
The power of words has both positive and negative consequences in human history. Some great men send forth a manifesto, and it produces action. That is, their eloquence leads their followers to take positive or negative moves that could make or destroy nations. Just as the words of Obama create or make history. The philosophical words or speeches of Adolf Hitler maimed the history of the German and the Jewish nation with the horrible holocaust.
There is a general conception that history is the spoken word of some leader or thinker who has gone out and done great things: good or bad. This is the point if the verbal utterances of men could drive history so powerful like that. How much more is it so of the word of God?
THE POWER OF WORD OR WISDOM OF GOD
The fundamental fact about the Word of God is that it is a living issue for all men of all times. Indeed, men, things, and histories fade or pass away. The Word of God is eternal. It is trans-space and time and trans-generational. In every age, men must face revolutionary changes or challenges. They must face its restless probing into the conscience and being, and they must accept or reject what it offers.
The Word of God is effective for the purpose it was intended when spoken. This is because it is the Word or Wisdom of an infallible God who is 100% truthful to his Spoken Word. It is one of the facts of history that wherever men have taken serious great things happened. Likewise, when they take for granted the Word of God, terrible things also happens to them.
Biblically access to the Word of God brought many and challenging changes to Christianity. Men not only to serious the Word of God as something to be studied, read or written about. It is an effective Word to be done in the practice of the Christian life.
St Paul, in his Second Letter to Timothy 3:16 he clearly explains this to us when he asserted. All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for instruction, conviction, correction, and training in righteousness. In other words, for paul by divine inspiration of the Holy scripture. It is to convict us of sin, error, and restoration to obedience. As we learn to live in conformity to the will of God, both publicly and privately—behaving honourably with personal integrity and moral courage.
The word of God is penetrating. It pierces until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow. In other words, the Word of God separates the physical from the spiritual. The soul is the life principle of the body, as the spirit is the living breathe of the body. The combination of our soul and spirit is what is us living and alive spiritually.
All living things possess “Alma and Psyche”. In Greek, the “pneuma”: the spirit is that which is characteristic of man. It is by the Spirit of God living in a man. That such a man thinks and reasons and looks beyond the earth to God.
For the author of the Book of the Hebrews, the Word of God tests our earthly life. It also demonstrates to us our spiritual existence. Furthermore, he affirms that the Word of God scrutinizes the desires and intentions of man.
Consequently, Desire is the emotional part of man, while the intention is the intellectual part of man. Therefore, our emotional and intellectual life must alike be submitted to the scrutiny of God. It is only then, we will be free from errors and sins.
NOTHING IS HIDDEN FROM GOD
Finally, before God, his Word or Wisdom, no one or anything is hidden. We all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the One to whom we must render an account of our lives and discipleship.
What does the author of Hebrews mean by saying nothing is hidden from God? Or that all is naked before the eyes of God? It means that no matter how we disguise or outwardly try to cover up our nature. We can never hide our identities or selves from the scrutinizing eyes of God. We may wear our outward trappings of priestly regalia, religious habits or Christian associations or societal uniforms. God knows us through and through. However, one thing is sure the truth God knows who we are. In the presence of God, these things are stripped away, and we have to meet him as we are.
The second reading of today presents us with one fundamental truth. That is that men may not see through us and may judge us only by our outer conducts and appearances. God sees into our innermost being and knows the secrets of our hearts. Where our actions, words and even thoughts are not concealed from him. As such, we can no longer hide from him, and his grip over us will bring us to the accountability of who we are really.
This is the power of the Word of God with its two-edged swords nature, the strips and penetrates the most hidden being of us.
THE GOSPEL: MARK 10:17-30
The story of Jesus encounter with a certain rich, young ruler or man is one of the most remarkable stories of the Gospels (Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-27; Luke 18:18-27). It is a perfect story of discipleship call to all Christians. The need to be detached from earthly things. The danger or difficulties with worldly possessions as obstacles against our spiritual life. And the blessings to those who give up all for the sake of Christ and his gospel demand.
Discipleship is out of conviction, not emotion. This is the demand of Christ for all his followers.
The image of the rich young man in the gospel of today invites and challenges us to come to Christ out of reasonable conviction. And not with some momentous emotions that is short-lived. The young man came running and prostrating before Christ a penniless prophet from Nazareth. A man of God who was considered by the religious authority of his time as an outlaw. With flattery words, he praises Christ.
Although, Jesus saw his enthusiasm based on great admiration of him. Possibly, he may have heard so many great things about Jesus and at last, he got the opportunity to meet him in person.
However, Jesus wanted the young man to come to him with sincerity of heart and conviction of will. He did not depict the spirit or enthusiasm of the young man. He wanted his action to be a self-conscious one and not only based on overflowing emotions.
Hence, Jesus was straightforward with the young men right from the onset. He stopped his flattery out rightly. Do not call me good, for no one is good but God alone. It is as if Christ is saying, hey, stop and think. There is a cost in wanting to follow me, and that is not to be based on emotion alone but conscious thinking.
EMOTIONALISM AND CHRISTIANITY
Christianity is not emotionalism base on the euphoric feelings of an exciting moment. This is something every evangelist, preacher, teacher or pastor should watch out for and ought to imitate when bringing people closer to Christ.
The Christian joy and life of coming to God should not only be based on palpitating emotions. It calls for conscious reflection where decisions to follow Christ are based n fact or knowledge. A kind of informative decision that leads to wholehearted commitment.
The Christian religious practices purely emotional and euphoric noises or excitements with the thinnest layer or zero spirituality is a show. Sadly, Christian churches are full of emotionally active Christians with little or no rational spiritual commitment to Christ and his gospel messages.
Therefore, the Christian life is not based on sentimental passion. That is short-lived and fades away quickly. It is a conscious decision that enables us to live a life of faith. The Christian life is based on the truth, knowledge, and Wisdom of God.
NO ONE IS GOOD, BUT GOD ALONE
Jesus did not only stop the flattery word of the young man who called him a good teacher. He used that as a lesson to draw our attention to be focused on God alone. Thereby articulating one of the greatest dangers to pastoral ministry: the pastor substituting God. Where the messenger focuses on himself than the message or the sender.
There are implications of this phrase for priests and pastors.
- First, our pastoral testimonies, preaching, or teaching must be oriented on God and convey truth through our lifestyles.
- The pastor and his flock or a religious teacher and his adherents must avoid the danger of personal attachment to each other. Where the congregations or students see their pastor or teacher as gods, rather than depending on God.
- No preacher, teacher or pastor should point the people to himself but for God. All true pastoral or teaching of God has certain self-obliteration.
- They must keep their personalities and personal loyalty away from Christianity in the name of God. The true Christian faith should be only Christocentric and God-oriented and not on any priest, pastor or “man of God”.
WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?
Besides, the flattery word of the rich young man calling Jesus a “good” teacher. The question of the young man to Christ is the most fundamental question any Christian should ask God. Whether in the privacy of his heart or public liturgical celebration of the Christian community. The Christian faith and life is a search to find God. As our simple catechism says, God creates us: to know, to love him, and serve him in this world and in life to come.
Our Christian goal should be, how can we know, love and serve God best in this life, to inherit eternal life with him. Of course, for us and any true Israelite, the answer is in the keeping of the commandment of God.
As such, Jesus cited that the knowledge or Wisdom of the commandments. You shall not murder, nor shall you not commit adultery. You shall not steal, bear false witness or defraud anyone. Always honour your father and mother.
Like every true Israelite, the young man has kept all these negative “DO NOT” commandments of God.
MORAL RESPECTABILITY IS NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS
The essential Christian truth is that moral respectability for the commandment, which is the basis of decent Christian life, is not enough. That negative keeping of the commandment, you shall not or “don’t”, is not all God or Christianity demands of us.
It could be true that you may never have done any harm to anyone. However, the Christian question is. What good have you done? The Christian life is not only about not doing bad things. It is also about doing good to others and charitable things (the Last Judgment: Mt 25: 31-46).
This is where the rich young man and indeed many of us failed in following Christ truthfully. We may be religiously correct in keeping the commandments but spiritually wrong in loving God and others through concrete Christian actions.
Truthfully, it may be morally respectful never to take away from anyone. However, the challenge is that it is more Christian to give, sacrifice or share with others, especially the poor and the needy.
THE CHALLENGE OF CHRIST TO THE RICH YOUNG MAN
Indeed, the commandments of “don’t” this rich and religious young man must have kept since his youth. However, Jesus notices something essentially lacking in him: charity towards others. Thus, he suggested to him: You lack one thing. Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Afterwards, then come and follow me.
The challenge of Christ to the young man and perhaps all of us is that Christianity is not in what do, not but what we must do. This is also the young man question to Christ: what must I do to inherit eternal life?
We should stop looking at goodness as consisting in not doing bad things. Afterwards, the last judgment in Matthew 25: 31-46 is not based on what we did but what we failed to do.
Jesus quoted the commandments, which were the basis of the decent life to the young man. The discipleship call means us spending our lives and all that we have to spend on others.
Life in Christ and true happiness or fulfilment in life come from self-donation or self-emptying for others. Our happiness and fulfilment in life will never come from what we have or who we are. This is the argument of St. Paul in 2 Cor. 8:9; “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake, He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich”.
Hence, the fundamental questions are, with all your possessions or wealth and with all that you could give away. What positive good have you done to others? How much have you gone out of your way to help, comfort, and strengthen others as you might have done?
Sadly, the rich young man could not do what Christ asked of him. He had wealth, affluence, power and authority, he was not willing to let go. He may never have stolen or defrauded anyone. Neither had he made a conscious sacrifice to be generous to others in need.
THE LOOK OF CHRIST ON THE YOUNG MAN
The evangelist Mark presents us most with the humanity of Jesus Christ. Amid the disappointment and tragedy of materialism, Mark was able to tell us that Jesus looked on the rich young man with empathy and love. There were many things in that look of Jesus.
(a) There was the appeal of love. Jesus was not angry with him. He loved him too much for that; the look was never one of anger but the look of love.
(b) There was the challenge to chivalry. It was a look, which sought to pull the man out of his comfortable and respectable moral lifestyle. A desirable look for him to a settled life into the adventure of being a Christian.
(c) It was the look of grief. In as much as Jesus was empathetic, there was something that grief about the opportunity the young man is letting slip by him. Hence, the grief was the sorest grief of all. The look of sad as he sees a man who chooses not to be what he might have been and had it in him to be deliberately.
When a pastor, priest or Christian reduces the Christian life to material wealth, that is the tragedy of all. Fleets of cars, fat bank account and luxurious living a not sign of a fruitful pastoral ministry. Christ would definitely look at many of us with love and grief for misplacing the priority of the gospel. That is reaching out and burning out for others.
WEALTH IN RELIGIOUS MENTALITY OF THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS
The radical demand for discipleship by Jesus was contrary to the Jewish religious mentality of wealth. In the ancient Middle East, it is a common belief that wealth is a sign of blessings and approval from God. While poverty or hardship is seen as a sign of the curse and the disapproval of God.
Therefore, the rich young man believed firmly, his wealth was a sure sign of the blessing of God. Jesus, then admonishing him to go and sell all God has blessed him with and to share the money for the wretched poor sinners is unacceptable.
The prosperity gospel of our age is strongly promoted by protestant and Pentecostal pastors. A neo-Pentecostal mentality accepted and adopted heavily by catholic clergies today is in the same life of thinking.
In other words, the prosperity gospel is a religious belief among many Christians of different denomination backgrounds. That financial blessing and physical well-being are always the Will of God for them. It also holds firm that faith is positive or motivational speech, and donations to religious causes will increase the material wealth of believers.
Thus, to be a Christian implies material blessings and wealth that depends on your generosity to churches or pastors. After all, God is never a poor God. Delusional thinking devoid of the truth of the gospel because Christ was indeed a poor man.
The prosperity gospel is not only an aberrant and false theology. It is a religious way of control, manipulation and extortion by so-called men of God. This is evident of the innocent, ignorant and poor masses in the name of God.
THE POSITION OF CHRIST ON WEALTH AND THE REACTION OF HIS DISCIPLES
The rich young man who had refused the challenge of Jesus had walked sorrowfully away. It was a sad scene and unbelievable that the eyes of Jesus and the apostles followed him until his figure receded into the distance.
However, as it is always in the character of Christ, he turns the sad moment into an opportunity of teaching his followers of something about wealth and undue attachment to it. Then Jesus said, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
Although, his followers were perplexed at his words. Jesus added Children, how hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
Thus, they concluded that, “Then who can be saved?” This is a desperate declaration know the Jewish mentality to wealth and prosperity. Wealth was proof of the excellence of character and of favour with God. The Psalmist sums it up, “I have been young and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging bread.” (Ps.37:25.)
For them, Jesus was turning accepted Jewish standards or popular Jewish morality totally upside down. The belief that prosperity was the sign of a good man. How can wealth or riches that is a sign of the blessing and approval of God become the greatest obstacle to entering into heaven?
THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE
The eye of a needle is a figurative expression in the ancient Middle East. It simply means shielding off every attachment to pass to safety.
Equally, in the ancient cities of the Middle East, there are small gates openings made on the city wall to let in the merchants or travellers. Especially those who arrived at night with Camel to the cities. This is because cities in the Middle East were pruned to constant attack and invasion by enemies or rivalries.
Hence, once the main city gates are locked at nightfall. They are hard to open for anyone for fear of insecurity and foreign invasion. Therefore, a hole or gate was made on the sidewall of the main entrance. This is to let in late arrivals at night to the city.
This little hole or gate is called the eye of the needle. Traditionally, when the merchants or travellers come with their baggage. To enter with their camels. They have to strip them of every load to pass freely through this gate.
When Jesus added that it would be earlier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. It was a reference to the difficulty of a camel passing through the tiny hole with baggage.
A clear demonstration of how difficult it will be with attachment to material things to enter heaven. We must be detached from earthly possessions. To enter eternal life through the narrow gate (Mt 7:13-14).
THE DANGER OF MATERIAL THINGS AND POWER
It is fundamentally clear to bear in mind that Jesus did not condemn wealth and wealth acquisition. There is dignity in labour to have and even to have in excess. However, Jesus did condemn our undue attachment to material things and their usage.
Of course, there are many wealthy people in heaven, just like, there are many poor too in hell. Being poor is not a ticket to heaven. At the time, no one ever saw the dangers of prosperity, material things and power more clearly than Jesus did.
WHAT ARE THESE DANGERS?
- First, material possessions tend to fix the heart of a man in this world. Likewise, being powerful can make the rich or ruler thinks of self-sufficiency or dependence on his ability rather than God.
- Secondly, if the main interest of a man is in material possessions. He does not place his trust, thoughts and interests in materials things of the world. Such a man reduces or thinks of everything in life as having a price tag, even salvation from God.
- For Jesus, the possession of material things has the effect of easily make a man arrogant, proud, self-satisfied, and worldly.
In whatever circumstances, wealth and prosperity are supposed to make us responsible, generous and charitable towards others especially, the poor and needy. Material possessions could make us have a deep sense of stewardship from God. In this way, power is supposed to make us humble with a sense of service to others.
THE ASSURANCE OF JESUS TO THE SCARY DISCIPLES
The reaction of the disciples was something normal, natural and human. The image printed by Christ as regard riches makes salvation almost impossible.
In a nutshell, then, Jesus stated the whole doctrine of salvation. For mortals, it is impossible. However, with God, anything is possible.
This implies that if salvation depended on the effort of a man, it would be impossible for anyone to attain. The good news is that salvation is the gift of God and all things are possible with God.
In other words, the man who trusts in himself and in his possessions can never be saved. On the other hand, the man who trusts in the saving power and the redeeming love of God. Can enter freely into salvation without hitches or obstacles.
THE COST AND REWARD OF DISCIPLESHIP
The impulsive Peter could not wait for the moment to pass by without present his inner worry. And perhaps that of his colleagues with the teaching of Christ. With a sense of sorrow in his voice, he reminded Christ of their sacrifice to heed the call to discipleship. “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”
The tone of the statement of Peter was one of disappointment and discouragement. If it is difficult for the rich to make heaven. If amassing wealth is an obstacle to entering the Kingdom of heaven. What becomes of us who renounce all to follow you? It is an open-ended question, though scare of what Jesus answer might be. For Peter, it is better to ask than suffering in silence.
Jesus said, “Truly I tell you”, this is one fundamental way Christ communicate a vital message to his disciples. He, then, went further to tell them with all truthfulness and honesty. If anyone left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or fields, for my sake and the sake of the good news.
This is the most beautiful assurance of Jesus Christ to all his followers. There is, no man ever gave up everything for the sake of Him: Christ and of his gospel news without getting it back a hundredfold.
First, he will receive a hundredfold now in this age: houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields. This means that when Christian has to renounce his present life to embrace the gospel message of Christ.
Although he had to leave his house, heritage and family due to persecutions or rejection from his human family. By his sacrifice and his entry into the Christian Church. He enters into a far big and large family of God than ever he had left.
This is the meaning of the “hundredfold” reward Christ promised. It was a sort of consolation to many who become Christians. In the early stage of Christianity, most Christians were not only persecuted for their faith. They were forced to forfeit their properties, heritages and family.
Therefore, when their own families rejected them for becoming Christians. They graciously entered into the big and richly endowed family of Christ (Acts 4:32-35).
There would also be rewards of hundredfold in the age to come: eternal life. For Christ, a man may have to sacrifice family ties or lost everything he values very dear to become a Christian.
Such a man will not only become a member of the family of God and share brotherhood with fellow Christian brothers and sisters. This is also the reward of eternal life in heaven.
However, in all truthfulness, Jesus reminded his follower that this would not be without persecutions and hardship. Jesus prepared his disciple to be ready and accept all kinds of persecution.
However, he never promised them a hitch-free journey of witnessing to him and the gospel. Indeed, he did assure them of safe reach and eternal reward in this life and in the life to come.
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS
- Do we seek the Wisdom of God to guide and help you prioritize God above everything in your life?
- What is your relationship with the Word of God? Do you allow the Word of God to speak to you and orient your life with its living, active and penetrative power? On the other hand, do you wilfully distract yourself from reading or listening to the Word of God?
- Can you give up everything for the sake of Christ and his gospel? What is your approach to money, material things or power? Are they obstructing your chance to eternal life?
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, without the Wisdom of God from above through the inspiration of the Word of God that penetrates all our motives, we cannot serve and follow you as authentic disciples. Help us to seek first the Kingdom of God and its Wisdom to give up totally and wholly whatever or whoever that is a hindrance to our Christian journey of faith.
