Gospel Reflection for The 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year B

27th Sunday of Ordinary Time

1st Reading: Genesis 2.7ab, 15, 18-24
2nd Reading: Hebrews 2.9-11
Gospel: Mark 10.2-16 – Teaching about Divorce & the Little Children

The Origins of Stewardship
In the first reading this Sunday we hear about our first parents, Adam and Eve. By reflecting on
their lives we can learn a great deal about how we too are called to live. It says in Genesis that,
“the Lord God formed man … and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it,” It is from
this that the spirituality of stewardship finds its origins, all the way from the first book of the Bible.
To be a steward is to gratefully acknowledge our lives and all we possess as gifts from God that
should be used for the glory of Christ and the Church. We must maturely take care of them, not
for selfish reasons, but out of love and generosity. This is exactly what God is asking of Adam in
Genesis.
God gives Adam the gift of Eden and the beauty of creation, yet, He doesn’t instruct him to use all
these gifts for his mere enjoyment and pleasure. Instead, he is told to work at nurturing and
fostering these gifts so as to allow them to increase. God tells him to till the land. So too as
stewards, we need to till the lands of our time and talents. Let us strive to not passively use them
for our own gain but work on using them for God’s will. God desires us to share our gifts for His
glory, so let us reflect on how we can better offer ourselves for the good of God and the Church.

Summary
God gives Adam the gift of Eden and the beauty of creation, yet, He doesn’t instruct him to use all
these gifts for his mere enjoyment and pleasure but to “till” the land. So too as stewards, we need
to till the lands of our time and talents. Let us strive to not passively use them for our own gain but
work on using them for God’s will.