Greetings on this the Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Judges 2:11-19; Psalm 106:34-35, 36-37, 39-40, 43ab and 44; Matthew 19:16-22
Summary
Wish to be perfect! Do we? The man in the gospel of Matthew and the gospel of Mark are thought to be the same person.
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions (MT 19:21-22). (Later tradition holds this man was the same man with Jesus in in the garden when Jesus was arrested) And they all left him and fled. Now a young man followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body. They seized him, but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked (MK 14:50-52).
In this way we encounter our twin fears and twin opportunity (acquisition/alliance, poverty of spirit and reliance on the unseen God).
The young man, already in right relation with others in following the commandments, needed to find right relation with the Lord. Jesus prescribes for him that his perfection is in disregarding and rejecting his vast worldly wealth – that is his advantage and his acquisition and instead follow Jesus. While he did not immediately do so, he went away sad, for he had many possessions (Mt 19:22), he eventually did join Jesus’ disciples. Then in the garden of Gethsemane he was present for the arrest of Jesus. He like all the others ran away – naked as he had but one possession, a linen cloth. He had one remaining point of growth, just like the disciples. The growth is in alliance. The perfect alliance – joined, common interest, shared nature, and in the divine case – subordiante.
Whom am I aligned with (?) is the question of the Garden of Gethsemane. Out of fear the discipled answered by their actions, neither Caesar nor the Lord.
Reflection
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect (MT 19:21a).” So that is the question. Do you… do I wish to be perfect?
Verb
To wish to be perfect is to want to achieve something you cannot achieve alone. It is not the effort that makes the difference although the effort is the beginning of all perfection.
Noun
Wish is also hope. Hope is a theological virtue, divinely given. We have hope because we are giving the power to hope. We have hope because the divine wish is to answer our hopes.
Personal Reflection
The three ‘A’ of acquisition, advantage and alliance are substitutes for God. If we must use the language of alliance then let us align ourselves to the divine will.
- Without possession.
- Naked.
- With courage to face the opposing alliance.
Sacred Readings Full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081825.cfm
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry