What must I do...?

In today’s gospel a man asks Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

The basic answer to this question is contained in the commandments. We are to value life, remain faithful to our spouse, not steal, bear false witness (lie), or defraud another of what is rightfully theirs, and honor our parents.  These are guidelines for a good life.

Jesus reminds the man of the commandments. The man quickly responds that he knows all of this and has honored the commandments since his youth. He is looking for more, and he senses more is being asked of him. Jesus then invites him to sell all he has, give to the poor and follow him. Mark tells us that the man's face fell and he walked away. He was a man of means. The thought of giving up all he had seems to have been overwhelming.

Or, maybe he walked away, thought about what Jesus said, and eventually changed his life. Maybe over time, he understood what Jesus was asking and was able to become a follower. Maybe he changed his lifestyle and shared his wealth. We do not know. All we know is that at that moment, he walked away. What Jesus asked at that moment was too difficult. This is a scenario we can relate to. How often do we think about what we might do and then put it off - maybe later, we say.

We are called to follow basic decency: not to kill another, lie, cheat, or steal, yet there is more asked of us. The first reading today offers something to consider about what that “more” might be regarding “inheriting eternal life.”

Solomon writes, “I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her.” Somewhere along the line, Solomon learned that gold and silver paled compared to wisdom, which brought with it right-mindedness and a desire for good—a desire for the ultimate good—God.

St. Paul writes that at times, he had everything, and at other times, he had nothing. He was on top of the world and then dragged to the edges. St. Ignatius warns us against attachments to things that take our gaze off God. I think this is what Jesus told the man who had followed the law of God by obeying the commandments. Jesus is telling him more is needed than following a set of rules. He invites him to enter his life fully and follow him without material concerns.

With age often comes the realization that what we have is not who we are. This realization offers freedom to consider things we never had time or room in our heads or hearts to consider.

Following Jesus requires a sense of sacrifice. Paying attention to the needs of those around us and sharing what we have, regardless of economic position, is a basic tenant of Christianity. If Jesus walked the earth today, I like to think he would advocate for doing what we can to ensure food, water, housing, and medical care are available for all people, whether they are part of our inner circle or not. Welcoming the stranger, paying attention to the imprisoned, and recognizing the humanity of everyone we encounter were and are part of his message.

He left us guidelines and instructions on inheriting the kingdom of heaven. We must make decisions that honor the invitation. 

Peace,

Anne

Greetings...

We might at times send greeting cards to family, friends, or associates, and we greet people who come to visit us. We may occasionally use the word itself as an expression of welcome. When we offer greetings, we express in words and gestures our acknowledgements of others according to the unique relationships we have with them at that time. All such greetings are positive, but they differ according to our respect or affection for each person we address and our perceptions of how we might be received by them. 

If we reflect on some of our experiences of giving and receiving greetings, we will likely recall some that are especially pleasing and worth remembering. Although we encounter many people, and may wish all of them well, only those that touch our hearts in some fashion will normally come to mind in a spontaneous look at our past. We might be moved to gratitude for the good relationships in which those greetings were offered and received.

Some of us have our own ways of greeting God, especially at the beginning of a day, but at any time when we become aware of a loving Presence. For some, this might be without words, relying on God’s complete awareness of our every thought and intention. Others may use words, whether from Scripture or Liturgical expressions, or in written prayers and songs. Since whatever we do within our minds and hearts is between us and God, our expressions of greetings are only limited by our own sensitivities. There is no universal rule that would tell us whether we might say “Hi,” “Good morning,” or “Nice day.” But when it comes to the varying ways that we experience the closeness of God, any endearing name or inclination of our hearts that might occur to us is acceptable to the one who gives us the capacity to think and to love.

Making a sign of the cross is a frequent Christian greeting that is offered to God at the beginning of prayer, but prior to all prayer of any kind by anyone, the initial inclination to relate directly with God always begins from God. Faith is not a possession of ours that we rely on when we pray. It is a continual movement of God’s initiative within us, opening that channel of communication. Otherwise, we would have no way of relating directly with God.

From our side, we might find it consoling to consider what forms God’s greetings take in our minds and hearts. They are always positively welcoming, uniquely personal, and often wordless. Our hearts are likely moved with a touch of joy whenever loved ones greet us, whether we have been expecting them or they suddenly contact us. When we receive greetings from God, we can sense that we are loved, and move more readily into prayer.

Randy

Randy Roche, SJ

University Chaplain

Loyola Marymount University

If you think Ignatians West might be a good fit for you, we invite you to attend one of our meetings. You can meet volunteers and get a sense of our work. We meet on the second Wednesday of the month from 10am–2pm at the Huffington Center at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

Contact us at ahansen@ignatianswest.org for more information.

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