Honest and Unattractive Marketing

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 8th week in OrdinaryTime

May 30, 2023: Sirach 35: 1-12; Mark 10: 28-31

After a long and eventful period, we resume the ordinary season...with green around the altar. In our ordinariness we have very many lessons to learn and great strides to make in our growth as children of God and disciples of Christ! 

Buy one get two; pay less get more; paisa vasool; bonanza... these are well known marketing techniques followed by the business brands, big or small. At the most the attempt to be sincere would be marked with an asterisk in smallest font size possible and stated "conditions apply" - all of these, attempts to hide what it really costs, in having best of things.

We see today Jesus, who seems to be inviting people promising them hundred fold of what they give up - that seems to be a good marketing technique! But it ends when he adds in the offer: 'persecutions and death' too as inevitable part of the package - plain and clear! The First reading too promises sevenfold of what we offer to the Lord, but insists: 'offer no bribes, these God does not accept! Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion.'

Jesus' style seems all an unattractive type of marketing... but honest. The fruits of discipleship is all made known to us... and along with it, what it truly costs. Will that kind of a propaganda attract many; yes, many among those who honour honesty and dare to pick up the cross! Are we in that number?