Word to the Wise
Monday, August 18, 2008 - Monday in the Twentieth Week of Ordinary Time
[Ezekiel 24:15-24 and Matthew 19:16-22]"If you wish to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
From the outset it is important not to see the young man in this gospel incident as someone in an elite group. He may have had many possessions but Jesus' call is the same to all persons - rich or poor, male or female. It is the call to ultimate love - to put aside anything that would constitute an obstacle to living the kingdom of love. This is what is meant by "perfection" in Matthew. In the case of the young man, the obstacle(s) were to be found in the possessions that required his allegiance. Although he was doing all the right things, he sensed there was something MORE. He could "enter into life" by keeping the commandments, but the fullness of life would remain a distant goal as long as his loyalties were divided. As we will see in the gospel on Tuesday of this week, the disciples were astounded because they were focused on the possessions and not on the relationship with Jesus (which they already had!). It is difficult in our relatively affluential American cultural outlook to understand this demand. Yet, I have seen persons who, when faced with the loss of a loved one, would give up anything they owned or change any part of themselves for the sake of saving that loved one. Indeed, what may have to be "given up" might be something far more interior than real estate, cars, investments, etc. It may be a particular prejudice or habit or other ego-candy. Jesus asks us to give up all other "allegiances" to follow him. We don't know ultimately what happened to the young man. We do know what Jesus did and what happened to him. His challenge is demanding, but he clearly thought the young man could do it. Although this gospel passage is often used in preaching about vocations to religious life, the call to discipleship is for all who would follow Jesus to the fullest extent possible. As we will see on Tuesday, this love will bear fruit. AMEN
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