Tuesday May 26, 2026
Mark 10:28-31
At that time Peter began to tell Jesus, ‘What about us? We have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.
I absolutely love this episode. Nothing churchy about it at all but just a raw conversation between the practical Peter and the practical Jesus. Dude, we have children and tuition, how are we to provide for them?
I have to say that growing up in the Roman Catholic Church and being in seminary, I never lacked anything. Holy Mother church took very good care of me. We used to say in seminary that “Join the church and travel the world.” Before I was 25 I had lived in three different countries. The Lord has blessed the church. We talk about the poverty of the church, the truth is it’s only talk. The church is doing extremely well because God has blessed it. In a way Holy Mother Church has to be blessed so she can bless the world with hospitals, schools, food banks to mention but a few. This blessing comes from above but it also comes from you.
When we started Rabbouni, I had to pick up a second job and I have kept a second job because as you well know, life is expensive out here and our church like in the early church could use every help. I have to tell you this: Our Lord Jesus was spot on. I have been so incredibly blessed. Now sometimes I worry but even Rabbouni as small as we are as a faith community we have been provided for. This gospel passage is about trusting God. You will receive new brothers, sisters, family. God will show up in many many different ways if you but trust his word.
I don’t know if St. Peter saw it all. But we see and experience what our Lord promised that early struggling community that faced so much uncertainty.