A quick note: I am writing this reflection (instead of a video) because I am trying to preserve my throat for this week’s interview. I’m fighting a sore throat and need to be better by tomorrow.
Today’s gospel comes from Matthew 19:16-22. It’s often call the The Rich Young Ruler. He can to Jesus confident, yet knowing he needed more. “What must I do to gain eternal life?” He asked Jesus. This is a great question. In fact, it’s the greatest question. Jesus responds by taking him to something familiar to him (and those listening)- the law. Jesus reminded him of the commandments. This man claimed to have kept them all, but still lacked one thing- this one thing was his attachment to his possessions. Jesus invited him into discipleship, but only if he was willing to part with his wealth and follow. Sadly, he wasn’t.
Here’s my takeaway: Jesus is not impressed by our rule keeping. He’s impressed by our faith. This faith expresses itself in different ways for different people. But in the end, the choice is to sacrifice whatever is most important to us, so that we can make Jesus most important. It sounds easy but it certainly isn’t. Ultimately, keeping the rules is about us. We can do it if we try hard enough, but to let go of the things we cherish most of all, and that give us our identity take a different kind of faith. This is what Jesus is after. This is what it means to be perfect. We need his grace to do it. The Blessed Virgin Mary alone shows us what this looks like. She was able to let go of everything in order to follow Jesus.
If you asked Jesus “what do I still lack?” What would he say to you?”