A YOUNG man ran up to Jesus and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered, “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, “Teacher, all 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.
The Gospel this Sunday tells us that although the rich young man piously followed all commandments of God, he still was not certain whether he had a place in the Kingdom of God. Would he be worthy to enter paradise and be counted among the blessed ones?
All of us—young and old—can identify with this young man. We’re all can be anxious about our life beyond this world. We all worry about our place in heaven.
So, should we be all like Mother Teresa or St. Francis who gave up all their wealth and dedicate our lives serving the poor to assure our place in heaven? Well, if all of us are poor, what’s going to happen to this world that God wants us to take care of, make better, and subdue? Doesn’t He want us to use and multiply our talents? If all are poor, how can we practice the charity? If all are without wealth, how can we help the needy?
I believe that the Gospel is a warning us about the tendency to see wealth as the be-all and the end-all of existence. It’s urging us not to be self-possessed, selfish, dishonest, corrupt, and greedy, which many times leads to jealousy, perfectionism, addictions, anxieties over other people’s perceptions, emphasis on work or productivity, and lack of self-care.
The Gospel tells us that Jesus looked at the young man with love and affection. He was not only worried about his status in heaven but also about his well being on earth—his happiness, joy, and fulfillment. This is the reason why Jesus invited him to follow him. It is only by serving God and others that he could find meaning in life and experience the Kingdom of God even in the here and now.
Like the young man in the Gospel, let’s work on making sure that we have a place in heaven. But let’s also heed to the call of God to bring heaven here on earth to people around us, especially those who are living in poverty, loneliness, sickness, and desperation.
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From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1991-2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.
