Word to the Wise
Monday, August 19, 2019 - Monday in the 20th Week in Ordinary Time
[Judg 2:11-19 and Matt 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. [Matthew]
The scene in today's gospel scripture begins with an important question - one which many of us ask at one time or another: "What must I do to gain eternal life?" For many in our church, going to Mass on Sunday, going to confession occasionally, having the kids baptized and attending Catholic schools or CCD, putting the envelope in the collection basket, volunteering in various Church organizations or events would be "good enough." Of course, those Ten Commandments would be in the background. Jesus himself gives a quick summary of them in answer to the young man's question. Yet, with all these "good enough" activities, the young man still felt unfulfilled: "All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?" Jesus' response is clearly disappointing because he touches on something the young man had not even thought was relevant - his "things." The young man had attachments which stood in the way of the fulfillment he was seeking. In the Gospel According to Matthew, Jesus demands a very complete discipleship. Everything must be evaluated in the light of the call to discipleship. There can be no, "Let me check my calendar and get back to you" discipleship!
Although this gospel scene has been often used in discussion of religious vocations and a call to full time ministry, it is meant simply for discipleship in any kind of fundamental vocation: marriage, single life, celibate ministry. My own memories of discerning religious life, however, do come back to me. Many of my friends in the undergraduate dormitory at Tulane came from far wealthier circumstances than I did, yet they did not seem very happy to me. I can recall thinking along the lines of a song from the musical, SWEET CHARITY, "There's gotta be something better than this!" (Yes, I know, the musical came along later than my undergrad years, but the line does say what I was thinking.)
Jesus' challenge requires soul searching. What kind of commitment have we made, one way or the other, to following him? Is there something missing? AMEN