The Good News for the Day, May 27th 2024
Monday in the 8th Week of Ordinary Time (347)
Jesus was just starting on a preaching tour. Someone ran up to him, knelt down in front of him to ask, “Good teacher, what do I have to do to get permanent life?”
Jesus answered, “Why do you address me as “good”? Nobody is good except for God. You’re familiar with the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not cheat others; honor your father and your mother.”
The answer was, “Teacher, all these I have been keeping since I was young.”
Looking on this person, Jesus felt affection and said, “You’re short just one thing. Go, sell whatever you have, give to the poor –your treasure will be in the Other World—then come, follow me.”
At that word, the individual’s face showed disappointment. That person went off depressed— because there was wealth there.
Jesus looked around at His followers, and told them, “How hard it is for people with money to enter the World of what is Right!” His followers were astonished at what he had said. So Jesus repeated to them his response to the man: “Oh, you little ones—how hard it is to enter the World of what is Right! It’s easier for a camel to get through the wee eye of a needle than for someone rich to get into the World of what is Right.”
They were stunned—and said among themselves, “Then, then, who CAN be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “What is impossible for humans is possible for God. Everything is possible for God.” (Mark 10)
Like this individual, many drift through life being nice, doing good things. We do not reflect beyond behavior – but just obey the general guidelines of religion and society. We don’t go to jail. We don’t commit horrendous sins; we behave like everyone else.
Like this young individual, however, some of us ask what else is there? You may feel that there is something you don’t know, something over the horizon, some goodness you can do that will make you feel whole, feel as though it is the right thing for you.
What is missing for this person – and the response for you and me – is not impoverishment. It is more spiritual. The response of Jesus (as the other Gospels indicate) is to love with the spirit of doing the extra – in this case, helping the poor.
An adult who falls in love, the child who grows to appreciate the parents, the authentic politician wanting to serve her constituents, the adolescent who discovers she really likes that friend – each finds something extra to do, something out of the ordinary.
Authentic love looks for something extra to do for the beloved. In this case, benefiting the poor would be the extra thing that would free the young person to love God completely. Each of us absorbs the Good News to learn the extra you and I can do.
jorisheise 