HE WENT AWAY SORROWFUL
The
story of the rich young man in the Gospel offers many angles for
reflection. Jesus’ reply to the question of what the young man must do
to attain eternal life is masterful. Jesus challenges the young man to
let go of his control over his life, surrender it to God, and let Him
direct his life. Selling all his earthly goods will allow him to do
that. Oftentimes, our attachment to the things of this world holds us
back from greatness or holiness. None of the saints were attached to the
pleasures of life. They were content to allow God to control their
lives and let Him be their Master.
The situation of the rich young man is probably true for most of us. If
we are honest with ourselves, we enjoy many things in this world and we
all try to maximize them in our lives. Is there anything wrong with
such an attitude? Not in essence. However, for a disciple of Jesus,
there is more to life than the pleasures of this world. Fixing our gaze
on the rewards and promises of eternal life ought to govern our
decisions here.
It takes a person of great faith to let go of the pleasures of the
world the way Jesus demands if holiness is our goal. Of course, there is
a lesser discipleship that makes us conform to a minimalist
understanding of the call of faith by avoiding sin and involving
ourselves in the ministry and mission of the Church. A disciple truly
gives his faith the primary focus in his life. He wants his entire life
given to the service of the Kingdom of God. This is what the lives of
the saints are all about. They are not interested in giving the minimum.
Only the maximum will do.
Let us pray that we will capture the enthusiasm of the saints as we
follow Jesus and give our lives to the service of His Kingdom. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL
REFLECTION QUESTION: Which of your attachments can you easily let go? Do it now.
Jesus,
help me to let go of my attachments to the world and the pleasures of
this life, not because they are wrong or bad, but because I want my life
to speak unequivocally of the values of Your Kingdom.
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