28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Sunday 13 October 2024
Mk 10,17-30

“Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions”
(Mk 10,21-22)

As Jesus’ travels from village to village, on His journey towards Jerusalem, the people come out on to the streets to greet this rabbi recently made famous. In particular, a young person runs to meet Him. He kneels before Jesus and poses a fundamental question to Him: “Good Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”. Perhaps surprised by the question, Jesus reminds him of the commandments. After listening to the list from the Master, the young man replies that he has observed all of these things from childhood. At this point, Jesus turns to Him with a series of actions, attitudes, and words: (1) He fixes His eyes on him, (2) He loves Him, (3) He tells Him, “you lack only one thing: (4) go, (5) sell what you own and give the proceeds to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and then (6) come! (7) Follow me!”.
The key phrase in all of this is FOLLOW ME! It is an imperative that is valid for me, and for you. There is always a step further that Jesus asks us to take in our lives. Something more! He is never still. He advances, and we are called to wake up from our lethargy and follow Him, in a dynamic friendship. How do we know if we are taking the steps forward that the Lord is asking of us? All we need to do is ask ourselves if we’re responding with joy to His requests! Instead, if our heart is attached with self-interest to material goods, we will become saddened by Jesus’ command, just like the man in the Gospel. As Saint Paul says well: “For the love of money is the root of all evil” (1Tim 6:10).
Possessing riches is not an evil in itself, but being bound to it is. Authentic richness is to have a heart free from attachment to material goods and to know how to share them with those who are in need!

p. Giuseppe