Gospel – MT 19:16-22

“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”
He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
He asked him, “Which ones?”
And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The young man said to him,
“All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”
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.

Reflection

“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”

This question implies that the young man is aware that he must “do good” in order to enter Heaven.

He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.”

God is the “One who is good” and the nature of God is to be parental; He loves and cares for those He created.

Imagine how the world would change if we, who are made in God’s image, treated others as if they were our own child.

“If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
He asked him, “Which ones?”
And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus mentions only five of the Ten Commandments and then He adds a sixth; “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

The five commandments Jesus mentions have to do with how we treat others. If we love others we will not do anything to cause them harm.

The young man said to him,
“All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”

The young man is heartfelt but views the commandments through a narrow lens. He seems to think that because he hasn’t harmed anyone he has not broken the commandment.

Clearly, in Jesus’ eyes, it is not enough that we don’t harm our neighbor. Jesus calls us to take the initiative and “love our neighbor” through acts of kindness and generosity.

To make His point, Jesus uses an extreme example.

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.

Most people would be shocked at the suggestion of selling all that they own, giving their money to the poor and devoting their life to following Jesus.

I would like to believe that although the young man “went away sad,” Jesus succeeded in planting the seed of “love thy neighbor” in his heart.

God is pleased with whatever good that we do. Sometimes we can give 50, 60 or even 80 percent. Other times we may only be able to give 5 percent.

God is like a mother in a nursing home.

In the morning, her rich son visits, carrying a dozen, long-stemmed red roses. Later in the day, her poor son comes to see her carrying a handful of wild flowers picked from the fields.

Her heart is filled with love for both.

“Our path to Heaven is paved with the love we’ve given away.” Unknown