F ar from being a guilt trip, this passage reveals the compassion of Jesus for the vast bulk of us who are doing well to keep the commandments and maybe a little more.

Monday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time

Judges2:11-19

Psalm 106:34-35, 36-37, 39-40, 43ab and 44

M atthew 19:16-22  And behold, one came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" (17) And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." (18) He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, (19) Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (20) The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" (21) Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." (22) When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

M editation by Eileen Wirth

If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments. Matthew

Rejoice all ye of modest nobility! We can still make it into heaven even if we never become martyrs or spend a year working with the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta . Today’s gospel tells us that there’s hope for those of us who plod through our ordinary lives trying to obey the commandments and lead generally good lives.

Until writing this reflection and focusing on Jesus’ basic requirement for salvation, I’ve always regarded this passage as a bit of a guilt trip that shames us into greater generosity than we intended as an alternative to selling all of our possessions and giving the money to the poor. Maybe we even banish the guilt by fantasizing that someday we’ll do something heroic, however unlikely that seems.

It’s a great relief to focus on what Jesus actually demands because my own personal “rich young man” experience years ago taught me that I’ll never do anything heroic. Been there, tried that, failed.

I was helping sponsor a Cambodian refugee family and learned how tough it was to be on call 24/7  for more than a year to respond to the unending survival needs of six people. Far from feeling saintly, I resented the ceaseless demands. A day into the process, I knew I would never be Mother Teresa. Six or eight months into it, I wondered if I could still claim to be a Christian.

At just that point, one of Cambodians proposed that I give him my car because we had two, he had none and a woman needed a car less than a man. (He still had a few lessons to learn about American culture.)  The rich young man who fled from Jesus had nothing on my reaction to being asked to surrender my wheels. I abandoned all pretense of saintliness, told him no way and taught him how to catch a bus.    

Ever since that day, I’ve wondered how people who do heroic things like work in refugee camps in Africa or care for a spouse with Alzheimer’s manage to be noble day after unending day.  Is there that much of a gap them and the rest of us?

Maybe this question is irrelevant because in today’s gospel, Jesus isn’t demanding heroic virtue, just ordinary goodness.  Far from being a guilt trip, this passage reveals the compassion of Jesus for the vast bulk of us who are doing well to keep the commandments and maybe a little more.  . 

Supplementary Reading

mISlEADING GuIDE

Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the Lord. – Jeremiah 23:1

My friends and I were planning for a weekend getaway. One of my friends said he was familiar with the place where we were going so we let him lead the way and give instructions to those who would follow later. But things didn’t go as planned because my friend gave us the wrong directions.

As Christians, we are all called to be shepherds to our loved ones and to those around us — family, friends, officemates and those we come in contact with. We are to be their guide, leading them closer to Christ. We have the opportunity to show others the difference that Christ can make. Whether as a parent, a friend, a colleague at work, a church mate or even in casual encounters with acquaintances, we must remember that we are instruments of Christ called to gather people to His flock and not to lead them further away from God. Jane Gonzales

REFLECTION:

Do we use our influence on people to help them grow more in the knowledge of Christ? Or do we lead them astray?

Dear Lord, let all who look to me see Your grace. Help me to magnify the saving light of Christ that You have lovingly given me. Amen.

• 08/15/2009 17:46 - Aug 22, 2009 - Saturday Meditation (Humble Servant Like Jesus)
• 08/15/2009 01:17 - Aug 21, 2009 - Friday Meditation (The Faithful One!)
• 08/15/2009 00:57 - Aug 20, 2009 - Thursday Meditation (Costly Grace)
• 08/15/2009 00:33 - Aug 19, 2009 - Wednesday Meditation (God's Graciousness and Generosity)
• 08/15/2009 00:05 - Aug 18, 2009 - Tuesday Meditation (Unshackled from Wealth)

• 08/14/2009 05:19 - Aug 16, 2009 - Sunday Meditation (Faith in the Life Giving Bread)
• 08/13/2009 03:13 - Aug 15, 2009 - Saturday Meditation (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Body and Soul)
• 08/13/2009 02:36 - Aug 14, 2009 - Friday Meditation (Jesus High Ideals on Marriage)
• 08/12/2009 04:02 - Aug 13, 2009 - Thursday Meditation (Forgive and be Forgiven)
• 08/11/2009 02:06 - Aug 12, 2009 - Wednesday Meditation (Ablaze for God)