Word to the Wise
Monday, August 16, 2010 - Monday in the Twentieth Week in 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.
On this date 45 years ago, at St. Peter Martyr Priory in Winona, Minnesota, I made my first profession of vows as a Dominican friar. The novitiate year was not an easy one for me, far from home in Louisiana and in a climate that I was sure resembled that of Siberia in the Winter. I had many an occasion to wonder why I had made the decision to "leave all" and join the Order of Preachers. It had not been the possessions that made me pause, it was giving up law school and my carefully concocted plans to practice law with my father back home. I suppose, in a way, that was a "possession." On the last day of exams of my first year in law school, I walked out of the building and didn't look back. (Maybe I was being a bit dramatic.) Little did I know that not only would I return to law school seven years later, but I would also become a novice master and guide others through the year that I found so difficult! The story of the young man who approaches Jesus about gaining eternal life is not specifically about entering religious life. It is intended for all who want to be disciples. Nor did I think I was going somewhere that would make me "perfect" in the way that religious life was popularly thought of doing! I'm still quite imperfect, in case you haven't noticed! I did believe that I was responding to a persistent "call" that said, "You must do this!" And I'm still doing it! Perhaps Jesus' response to the young man was tailored for him. It might be different for someone else. The bottom line though is that Jesus will not accept second place in our scale of values. If you ask him what you must do to gain eternal life, you now know the answer. AMEN
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