reflections for the 28th sunday in ordinary time (b)

Unlike the scribes and the Pharisees, the rich young man in this Sunday's Gospel reading is actually serious in his quest for eternal life. Here is a man quite outstanding in his observance of the commandments of God. He goes away sad because of the demand of Jesus to go beyond obedience to, and observance of, the commandments. A serious man with a serious intent, indeed.

If he had no inkling about what everlasting life was all about, he would not have posed the question in the first place. If he did not agree with Jesus as to the wisdom of his reply, or at least suspect that Jesus was right, he would not have been saddened by the reply he got. He knew that Jesus was right. He knew what was essential to gain everlasting life. But his possessions far outweighed his desire for everlasting life.

The Bible is never wanting of reminders for us to put more weight in our trust and faith in God than trust in material possessions. After all, between the merely created and the Uncreated, only the Uncreated lives and lasts forever. Jesus Christ is especially emphatic in his warnng to us about putting more importance on finite, mortal and temporal matters - acquisitions and possessions, about love of money, than our love for God and trust and confidence in Him. Jesus Christ had been there and he had an experience of the almost irresistible sales-talk of Satan. He was at the summit of the mountain with Satan wanting to give Jesus all the kingdoms of the earth and their wealth only for Jesus to prostrate before him,Satan. But the temptations of Satan are as empty as the kingdoms and opulence that he prom

Over the material and temporal is the wisdom of God found in Jesus Christ - the wisdom that young Solomon prayed to possess over everything or anything that God could give him. We too need that kind of wisdom to be able to abide by God's Word, sharper than a two-edged sword, for us to make a conscious and resolute decision to uphold Him over everything, to testify to His presence on earth and thereby give witness to His endless love and reign (JE)