Monday, August 19, 2024
Ez 24:15-23; Mt 19:16-22
Today’s Gospel leaves us with two options: living the basics of a moral life or finding perfection in it.
Jesus’ explanation regarding moral life follows the rich young man’s question.
It is interesting to find Jesus carefully structuring his response so that he puts the most crucial question in the mouth of the rich young man himself.
When the young man inquires about the basics of moral life through his question, ‘What must I do to gain eternal life?’ Jesus names the commandments from fifth to ninth, leaving only the tenth one regarding charity.
When the young man feels compelled to ask, ‘What do I still lack?’ Jesus reminds him of wealth-sharing as a Kingdom virtue.
We must note that Jesus does not tell him that he lacks one thing. It comes out of his realization, which he is unable to act on.
The young man’s disappointment could be ours if we are unable to act on our realization.
Secondly, what deserves our attention is that both times Jesus gives freedom to the young man to decide for himself. It is only when he says he has followed the basic commandments that Jesus reminds him of the perfection he could aim for.
That is when Jesus changes from ‘If you wish to enter into life’ to ‘If you wish to be perfect.’
Living the basics of moral life is good, but attaining perfection in it is better and more desirable. Jesus reminds us that moral life is about striving toward perfection.
Thirdly, the young man’s unwillingness toward perfection is caused by his attachment to his material possessions. It is in this sense that our material possessions become an impediment to following Jesus. Here, Jesus shows how our wealth can be an obstacle to leading a life of grace.
Excessive attachment to wealth will prevent us from finding our wealth in God.
Just as he did with the young man, Jesus leaves us with options. If we wish to be perfect, then we need to detach ourselves from material possessions and grow in our attachment to God.
Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar
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