Job 23:1-9,
16-17, Psalm 22:1-15, Hebrews 4:12-16, Mark
10:17-31
Fun gospel we have today…
Ok so maybe fun isn’t the right word. How about uncomfortable? That seems like a better fit. Today’s gospel is uncomfortable for us to hear because on the surface we hear that wealthy people cannot get into heaven. Now that is an interesting idea. We also hear that we must give up everything to follow Jesus. For the rich young man, he must give up his wealth. For the disciples, they must give up their families, their livelihoods and leave everything behind for Jesus. What must we give up in order to live more fully into our relationship with Jesus?
We live in a society where the more you have, the more you are worth. Our status is measured by what we have in our bank accounts rather than what do with our resources. What you have a lot of is not always important. One might have a few houses or closets full of clothes, many cars or a large personal library, lots of pets or a collection of fine jewelry. Our want to have more is influenced by what we see in the media and what we see in our friends and colleagues.
We are bombarded by ads on the TV, on billboards, on the radio all telling us that we need this fancy new car or the largest TV in the neighborhood. If we do not have these items then we are cast out to the fringes of society. This want to be more “normal” or to live like everyone else leads us to serve many masters in our search to have more things.
This is exactly what Jesus is talking about in today’s Gospel reading. We are warned about letting wealth, possessions or ourselves get in the way of our relationship with God. A book I recently read suggests that, “If giving away possessions in almsgiving secures a place with God, the worship of possessions and a clinging to them is ultimate separation from God.”[1] If we place our possessions on a higher level than our relationship with God then we will only grow further and further from God’s love. That is why when the man in today’s gospel asks Jesus what he must do to get into heaven, Jesus tells him to sell all that he has and give the money to the poor. Is he suggesting that we must give up all of our wealth? I do not think so, but that the money that is not needed for living should be given to those in need. On a broader level Jesus is telling him to let go of what is separating him from God and to embrace the life of discipleship. So too must we let go what is separating us from God.
There are many times when we are faced with having to choose between serving God and serving ourselves. This theme is central to Jesus’ teaching. We may know it better as “one cannot serve two masters.” Sometimes this choice is a false choice because with intentionality, one can be serving God while working with other things that could inadvertently lead them to serve another master. Sometimes this choice is complex, so complex that we cannot even see it ourselves when we are in the midst of a situation. That is when friends or a spiritual director is needed to point out to us when we are serving ourselves rather than God.
So what are you willing to give up so that you may be in closer relationship with God? Are you willing to make the hard choices? Are you willing to examine your lives in an honest way to determine what you need versus what you want? Are you willing to give money to the poor so that you stop focusing on your money? Are you willing to end a friendship that constantly leads you away from God? Whatever it is that you need to give up, I encourage you to do it. God is always there for us to remind us who we are and who’s we are.
[1] Luke Timothy Johnson, The Gospel of Luke (Collegeville, Minn.: Michael Glazier, 1992), 248.
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