If You Want To Be Perfect…!

Monday, August 18, 2025

Jud 2:11-19; Mt 19:16-22

Today’s Gospel highlights that true greatness results from greater sacrifices. 

We have a great lesson to learn from the example of the rich young man who wants to follow Jesus. In many ways, he represents us. To put it differently, we find ourselves in him. 

At first, we need to understand who the rich young man is. He comes across to us as very serious about obeying God’s laws. From the way he responds to Jesus, he seems to have been diligent about his religious observances. This is why when he asks Jesus, ‘What do I still lack?’ we can sense his hunger. He desires more. But then, when there is a call to deeper discipleship, he walks away sad, betraying his unwillingness to commit himself to attain the greatness that he deeply desires. Here, we must not forget that Jesus raises the bar precisely because the young man asked for it. His unwillingness underlines the fact that though he got the answer he was seeking, it was not the answer he was ready to obey. 

In my view, though this story is about the unwilling rich young man, it is still about many of us too. More often than not, we desire greatness but do not want to accept the sacrifices it demands. We want to succeed but struggle to discipline our habits. We want to make a difference but without taking the risk or paying the cost. Both in the example of the rich young man and in our own lives, we find that the deep desire for something and the unwilling reluctance to achieve it are inherently opposed. Such a contradiction reveals that our dreams are often bigger but commitments smaller. We want to grow but resist the pruning. 

Thus, in many ways, the rich young man mirrors our own hearts. How can we shape our response and enrich it through our unconditional commitment? 

Let us pray for the grace to seek the prize by our willingness to pay the price. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar