The man in the Gospel passage (MK 10: 17-27) is identified as a wealthy man. He is good and honest in every way; he had observed the commandments meticulously and thoroughly. Jesus loved the man because the man had been a good and faithful, that he had kept the commandments from his youth. But, apparently he is not happy; He is not satisfied with his life. Something is missing, something is triggering him and he asks Jesus what it is. Jesus’ answer crushes him, “Go and sell what you have and give to the poor… after that come and follow me.” And he goes away sad, for he had great possessions.
In asking “to give away all,” Jesus is not condemning our material richness neither he did call every one of us to give away everything we have to the poor. He did not want make us guilty about what we have. He knows that every one has thinks of one’s needs and one’s security. The real problem is not so much in possessing wealth but one’s wrong attitude to wealth.
The Wisdom of God, assures us that in return for what we give up, we will be repaid with eternal life and a hundredfold in this life, namely, an inner peace, a deep feeling of fulfillment and interior joy.
No comments:
Post a Comment