28th Sunday of Ordinary time
Wis. 7, 7-11;
Heb. 4: 12-13;
Mk. 10: 17-30
The rich young man of today's Gospel was well on his way to achieving his goal of etemal life. He comes to Jesus, quietly confident that he's done everything which conventional religious teaching required. But although he'd kept all of the Commandments, he still felt there was something missing from his life, still a vacuum there. Sadly, Jesus agrees with him: He obviously likes the young man, and that makes His reply all the more devastating! But Jesus isn't interested in collecting adherents, only in making disciples. He isn't looking for quantity of service, but quality, and discipleship requires action as well as faith, sacrifice as well as commitment. The young man isn't prepared to risk or give up his wealth, because it's his security, and he goes away sad.
It's important to realise that Jesus wasn't condemning wealth in itself. Faith and wealth can co-exist. But the fact was that the young man suffered from one defect which can affect anyone, whatever the level of their personal possessions - he just couldn't let go of the things which gave him that sense of total security in life.
But the Gospel doesn't really apply to us. After all, none of us here is really rich; we barely scrape along at times. Uh uh! Jesus is talking about anything which hinders us on our journey, whether it be addictions, feelings of jealousy, holding onto grievances or hurts real or imagined. It's not the level of attachment which matters .. simply the fact that it's there at all. St. John of the Cross remarked, "to be attached by the smallest thread is the same as being attached by a chain." So it's not simply material wealth that Jesus is talking about; it's anything which we place before Him.
So what possesses you? Is it money, work, sports, drink, gambling, T.V., eating even prayer can be an obstacle and a selfish pursuit if it leads to a lack of charity, such as rushing off to church and leaving a family crisis behind.
Jesus understands the pain involved in turning our lives around. He lived what many might have regarded as a reckless lifestyle: possessing nothing, dependent on His Father for all things often provided through the generosity of people who also loved God. But if anything anything - got in the way of 100% commitment, then it was to be cut off. All He asks is that we take the risk for the sake of gaining an eternal reward. If you were faced with Him today, right now, and asked Him what was missing in your relationship with Him, what you needed to turn your life around ... what would His answer be? Now you know what you need to change, what you need to get rid of, the one thing which separates you from following Him perfectly! It's a hard call, but we have to be ready, and willing to respond with that 100% commitment to Him.
There's a saying: "experience is something you think you have, until you get more of it." So if you have any big decisions to make in life now, don't be afraid to take them. Take them in faith - gamble! - and Christ will be with you. Cut the thread, or the chain!