Friends,
in today’s Gospel a rich young man asks Jesus what he must do to
inherit eternal life. There is something absolutely right about the
young man, something spiritually alive, and that is his deep desire to
share in everlasting life. He knows what he wants, and he knows where to
find it.
Jesus
responds to his wonderful question by enumerating many of the
commandments. The young man takes this
in and replies, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my childhood." So
Jesus looks at him with love and says, "Go and sell what you have and
give to the poor. After that come follow me."
God
is nothing but love straight through, and therefore the life of
friendship with him, in the richest sense, is a life of total,
self-forgetting love. Jesus senses that this young man is ready for the
high adventure of the spiritual life; he is asking the right question
and he is properly prepared.
But at this point, the young man tragically balks. The spiritual life, at the highest pitch, is about giving your
life away, and this is why having many possessions is a problem.
Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 347
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you
who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith,
to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.
In this you rejoice, although now for a little while
you may have to suffer through various trials,
so that the genuineness of your faith,
more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire,
may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Although you have not seen him you love him;
even though you do not see him now yet you believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
as you attain the goal of faith, the salvation of your souls.
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?"
Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
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."He replied and said to him,
"Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth."
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."
At that statement, his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
"How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the Kingdom of God!"
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!
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."
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
"Then who can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said,
"For men it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God."
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