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— Read the Gospel Passage slowly and prayerfully, perhaps several times over a few days.
— Let the Story speak to you in your own life, and don’t try to force a meaning, eg, the Story has always meant only such-and-such.
— Ask “What are you trying to say to me?” in your own life here and now, with whatever is going on in your life.
— Be ready to be surprised.
— If you feel comfortable please write your thoughts as a reply using the “submit” button below.
Mk 10:17-27
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
“How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
“Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”While this passage is usually understood as Jesus talking about attitudes towards money, could it be that, in what is going on in my life these days, he is asking me to look at my life to see if there is anything I am holding on to that is keeping me from being open to the Spirit and from growing? Perhaps ideas, ways of thinking, hidden agenda, programs running deep in me and behind the scenes? Jesus said he would send the Spirit to remind us of what he taught us. Is the Spirit reminding me of something I don’t want to hear?
A beautiful quiet morning, the deer, the birds, the trees beginning to change their color, the flag on my balcony, sirens in the air, as life goes on around and in me. Words do not really get to the meat of all this. To me God is real, but everything we believe about God is made up to help us get some kind of a hint to what is.
The rich man in the Story kept all the rules, but Jesus told him there is more. Perhaps he is telling me to look at my own life, not at other folks lives, and let go of my attachment that I know how other folks should live. I preach about the ongoing need for being open to the Spirit and ongoing conversion, but do I live that way myself? I’m not sure that I do.
Then there is the whole situation with the poor people among us, the migrants, homeless, etc. I don’t know what I am being called to do here. There must be something more than just giving money.
The notion of being saved is not something that only happens after we die. It happens in our life here and now as we make our choices grow towards, or away from, the good in which and for which we are continually created. In the providence of God we are growing and evolving creatures, not fallen and sinful creatures, each on our journey with all who are in our life. We are necessary to each other, and so have responsibilities to each other, something that can be hard to face and deal with, and certainly is not convenient.
This whole idea of being open to the Spirit that I talk about so much is not easy. Sometimes it’s just effin hard. Not knowing, doubting, questioning, etc are important and even necessary, but no simple thing. I’m glad I had my army experience, and also that the Eckhardt book popped up at this particular time, and that the generals I sent it to feel the same way.
“An Unknowing That Makes Room —
I often think it is my work
to find You, and in thetangle of my life I stumble
into brambles of doubtand pits of uncertainties
and wonder where Youare hiding, and then I
remember: You seekand I am found.”
Life really is good — not easy, but good.
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