Monday of 20th week, uneven numbered year
“And now a man came to him and asked, ’Master, what good deed must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ’Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one alone who is good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He said, ’Which ones?’ Jesus replied, ’These : you shall not kill. You shall not commit addultery.You shall not steal. You shall not give false witness. Honour your father and mother. You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
When these days it is said that nothing definite exists, that everything is always changing very rapidly so, it is not so easy to speak about eternal life, eternal realities. Today, we live in a world that exalts freedom. ’To change’ is no longer referring to Christian conversion, but it has become the normal thing to adopt to what he latest fashion is. We know that in order to be happy it is not the right way to exert freedom. Jesus lets man discover this little by little, giving him new Light for the future. Saint Ignatius of Loyola brought to light how small, fleeting moments of joy, once they were over, left us with a feeling of bitterness; whereas true good left us feeling happy, leaving us to build up and dwell in joy. We are created to accomplish definite and irrevocable choices, which give a whole new meaning to our existence. This is the whole role of the commandments that Jesus gives us. We’d always like every lovely experience we have never to stop, so we can have unending happiness. God created us in view of ’for always’, placing in our hearts the seed of a life that realizes something great and beautiful. We ask for the grace of courage to live out our definitive choices in a faithful way!
’But when he young man heard these words, he went away sadly.’
In the dialogue with the young man possessing great riches, Jesus indicates what is the most important wealth and the greatest life :l love. We know that the word ’love’ is subject to diverse interpretations and clothes different meanings.To love
God and to love others with the whole of our person, Jesus indicates this to us as being the most authentic and deep meaning which guides us towards the source of all love and life.
Love is the very name of God :’ God is Love.’ Saint John tells us. In our encounters with God and in reciprocal love, we have the experience in us of the very life of God, who dwells in us with a perfect Love, one that is complete and Eternal. There is nothing greater for us, we who are mortal and limited, than to participate in the very love of God. We live in cultural context where man s heart is sensitive to a genuine love. it is certainly not an easy thing to make of our lives something that is beautiful and great, but, in Christ, everything is possible!
“The young man said to him,”I have kept all these.What more do I need to do?’ ’Jesus said to him, ’If you wish to be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give them to the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, then come, follow me.’
In Jesus’ eyes, fixing his gaze lovingly on this man, we seize all the, desire God has to be with us, to be close to us. There is within us a desire for a ’yes’ to genuine love. Jesus wants to be our friend, our brother in this life, the master who indicates the path to keep on going so as to reach happiness. He loves us for who we are, in our fragility and in our weakness. Touched by his Love, we know that we are gong to be transformed, living this encounter with the love of Jesus, in a deep and personal relationship with him. This is what true happiness is! Jesus welcomes us with all limits to give us a new heart capable of loving as he does. The Love Jesus has for this young man in the Gospel is the same he has for each one of us. We encounter this love and experience all its fecundity! Peter will have to go through the trial of denial before thinking as God does and not as humans do. After this, Jesus will begin to show his disciples that he will have to go to Jerusalem, suffer very much, by the elders, high priests and scribes, be killed and wake up on the third day. Jesus’ path will become that of his disciples whose only way to keep steadfast will be to dwell in his Love!