Sundays Readings: Wisdom 7:7-11, Hebrews 4:12-13, Mark 10:17-30
From the Pastor’s Desk… We are called to follow the Lord.
The Gospel reading today is a well-known passage, one we may be tempted to ignore because we think it does not apply to us. It is important to remember, however, that Jesus is speaking to each of us.
The rich man is sincere about wanting to inherit eternal life. His heart is in the right place. We also learn that he has followed the commandments, the law of God given to us through Moses: Do not kill. Do no commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not lie.
The rich man’s good intentions and his following of the law are not guarantees to eternal life, however. Why? Because salvation is God’s gift to us and not something we can earn. Receiving the gift of salvation requires seeking to love God with one’s whole being, and letting go of those things that hinder us from growing in our love for God. The rich man was unable to receive the gift of salvation because of his attachment to his wealth and possessions.
The first lesson we can learn from today’s readings is that good intentions and following the laws of the Church are not sufficient for eternal life. We may be tempted to think that because we attend Mass every Sunday and have followed the Church’s rules, we deserve heaven. In reality, nothing we can do of our own accord makes us deserving of heaven; salvation is a gift that God in his goodness freely offers. Receiving the gift of salvation that God offers through faith in Jesus requires that we have the proper disposition. We strive to love God above all things, love our neighbor as ourselves, and practice the teachings of Jesus in our daily lives.
The second lesson is that in order to love God above all things and to live as a more faithful disciple of Jesus, we must let go of things that hinder us from growing in our love for the Lord. Notice that, for the rich man, the purpose of selling everything and giving to the poor was so that he could follow Jesus. They were prerequisites for being a disciple.
The Gospel says, Jesus looked at him and loved him. Jesus is not trying to condemn us. Do not imagine Jesus with his finger wagging. Rather, he invites us into a deeper relationship with him. Jesus invites us to strive to let go of things that hinder us from growing in our love for him and following him more faithfully. Let us focus on Jesus so that one day we might come to share eternal life in heaven.
God bless you,
Fr. Oscar
