In our Gospel today, an eager young man approaches Jesus, asking Jesus what he needs to do to inherit eternal life in God's kingdom. Yet, by the conclusion of today’s Gospel, his joy and enthusiasm are gone as he walks away in sadness. What exactly is the point of this Gospel that brings up issues of wealth and poverty, of where we place our confidence and our priorities in life?
As Christians, we are called to see the world through the lens of faith. But, we also see the world through the lens of our modern world, which is a very different viewpoint. Our perspective influences everything. Jesus told the young man that even though he follows God's commandments, he lacks one thing. The rich young man has many possessions that he does not want to part with. We hear this Gospel from our own perspective, but think of a person living in extreme poverty in a different part of the world, with difficulty putting food on the table. That person would hear this Gospel differently.
We can get so accustomed to the comforts and possessions of our modern American lifestyle. As an accountant and as a priest, someone who is responsible for the budget of a parish, and all of you who have to manage your work and household budgets, we know that it is not easy. In recent years, you have heard Pope Francis scold his priests, telling us that he doesn’t want to see priests driving fancy cars or living in luxurious rectory. The Pope wants us priests to model Gospel simplicity in our lifestyle. In my 8 years as a lay missionary, I lived a standard of life that is very different than our lives here in the US. I was just telling a friend about how when I take a hot shower, with nice smelling soap or shower gel, I always say a prayer of thanks to God, because I think of what it was like to take a bucket bath with a buck of slimy river water and terrible smelling harsh soap made from palm oil that was very irritating to my skin. We often take for granted the lifestyle we have here in the United States.
As I thought about how we are sometime not grateful for the things we take for granted, our 2nd reading from the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that God's word will go to the very depths of our hearts to change us only if we allow his word to work within us. If we invite God’s word into our lives, it will bring change, conversion, and renewal in ways we could not have imagined. It will help us foster gratitude in our lives. If we treat our material possessions as idols, or if our material possessions are stumbling blocks in our lives like they were in the young man in the Gospel, our hearts will not be truly open to love God and love our neighbor.
This month of October is dedicated to the respect of human life in our Church. Our theme this year for respect life month is from the 10th chapter of John’s Gospel. In talking about how he is there for the sheep, Jesus contrasts this to others who are like thieves and bandits, who come to destroy or steal or kill the sheep. Jesus says: “I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly.” In the context of the Eucharistic revival going on in our country, our Bishops state that all of our Catholic efforts to promote a respect for human life should be grounded in the Eucharist and in the Eucharistic culture we are promoting in our parishes and in our families.
I think it is important to mention that there are many issues that are highlighted in pro-life month, respecting human life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. This includes protecting the infant in the womb, the sick, the elderly, and the mentally ill; it includes reaching out to the lonely, the prisoner, the hungry, and those battling addiction; it includes being good stewards of the environment, addressing access to housing and health care, and the rights of the worker. There is a lot to Respect Life Month. It is not just about one issue.
I really love celebrating Respect Life Month each year in our parish communities here in the Diocese of Jackson. May we open our hearts to this pro-life message. May we open our hearts to the way God is calling out to us today.
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