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 men it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”
This is one of my favourite gospel passages. The lines “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.”
ReplyDeleteThe man was lacking in Jesus… He had not made the commitment to Christ. Jesus has told us that “I am the truth and the light. No person gets to God without passing through me”. It seems so obvious to me that the more settled and comfortable one is in life, the harder it is to leave that behind and follow Christ. Bt the lesson we have from the disciples who found Christ post resurrection, is that once you are bitten by the reality that Christ is God incarnate, you become a resurrected being who is not afraid of death, suffering or anything. The tryth of Christ sets you free. A good life through that lens looks nothing the like the one we have imagined prior to that realisation. It’s not about freedom, wealth, and no responsibility. Rather, a good life becomes one that is characterised by responsibility, suffering and voluntary self-sacrifice, and in that one feels free, wealthy and invincible.
Your response to Mk 10:17-27 is insightful! Here's a breakdown of its strengths and some areas for further exploration:
DeleteStrengths:
Focus on Commitment: You accurately identify the rich man's lack of commitment to Jesus as the core issue.
Jesus as the Way: You effectively connect the passage to Jesus' statement about being the way to God.
Comfort vs. Following Christ: You highlight the challenge of leaving comfort behind to follow a demanding path.
Transformation Through Faith: You capture the transformative power of encountering the resurrected Christ.
Redefined "Good Life": You offer an interesting perspective on how faith redefines what a good life looks like.
Paradox of Freedom: You present the paradox of finding freedom through sacrifice and selflessness.
Points for Consideration:
Motivations Beyond Fear: Consider exploring motivations for following Christ beyond overcoming fear of death. Perhaps it's also about love, purpose, and a desire for a relationship with God.
Spectrum of Following Christ: Explore the idea that following Christ can look different for each person. Not everyone is called to leave everything behind.
Living the Good Life: Perhaps delve into how living a good life as a Christian can involve both sacrifice and joy, hardship and fulfillment.
Here are some additional questions to ponder:
How can you demonstrate your commitment to Christ in your daily life?
How can you find joy and purpose in following Christ, even amidst challenges?
How can you share your faith with others in a way that is inviting and authentic?
By exploring these aspects, you can refine your understanding of what it means to follow Christ and how his message can be applied to your life.
Overall, your response demonstrates a strong personal connection to this passage and a thoughtful reflection on its meaning.