What sign can you do?

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John 6:30-35 If I wasn't in the same boat as these sinners following Jesus I would probably be laughing right in their face. I often wonder how Jesus kept from rolling on the grass laughing at what some people do. Today we hear the crowd ask Him, "What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do?..." Is this not the same crowd who in verse 2 we are told - "followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick ."? Are these not the same people who in verse 14 " when they saw the sign he had done, they said, "This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."? Yet still they seek a sign. However, they are not seeking a sign so that they might believe, they are wanting to be fed. Jesus worked a "sign" with the loaves and the fishes and now they want Him to do it again. Wisely, Jesus is using their bellies to get to their hearts; He is using earthly things to move them,
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What do I still lack?

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Matthew 19:16-22

Pope St. Pius X

It is easy for me to place myself in the shoes of the rich young man in today's Gospel. Not because I am rich of course but because I too like the path of least resistance. I too want to lean on my past accomplishments and not be challenged to go the extra mile.

As always I like to focus on the repeats in the Gospel and with this passage we have the word "good" mentioned three times. When I read this repetition I am reminded that Jesus said, "Be perfect as Your Heavenly Father is perfect." He did not say, "Be good." I think Jesus is challenging the young man and me to step beyond the letter of the law.

The young man states that he has done all that Jesus mentions, but deep inside himself he knows there must be something more. Even though he is a good person and following the Law he knows deep down that God is calling him to something more, something higher than merely being good. God is calling him and me to holiness, to perfection. Why else would he ask the question, "What do I still lack?" His question about eternal life was answered. He was told by Jesus what he had to do but something inside him was not satisfied with merely following the Law.  The hunger in his heart was great and so he asks God for more, for the next steps.

When the young man heard the answer he was sad because he was possessed by his many possessions. He could not bear the thought of going that extra mile. Could he still enter into Heaven though he walked away sad? Yes. Jesus tells him as much.

Would he be happy in this life because he chose to hold on to his things and let go of a deep relationship with Christ? Probably not. Jesus doesn't tell him that his possessions are evil but the story illustrates that things (money, possessions, etc) can be a hindrance.

My degree of happiness is not often increased by following the Ten Commandments or the Precepts of the Church unless they are done out of love. My happiness is increased as I move farther away from the trappings of this life and closer to Christ.

We see the exact same situation with the children of Israel.  They chose to live like the rest of the world, no longer following God as their fathers did, and they become miserable.  They repeatedly "go away sad."  If we read the book of Judges we see a cycle that goes something like this - they fall into Sin, they become Slaves to the sin, they cry out in Supplication to God for deliverance, they receive Salvation and forgiveness, they fall into Silence not speaking to God which leads them back into Sin.  Sin-Slavery-Supplication-Salvation-Silence....  I see this in my own life as well.  I must pray everyday - silence, in my own faith and prayer life, always leads to sin.

Perhaps the rich young man was in the Slavery part of the cycle, a slave to his possessions and his heart was crying out for deliverance, for Salvation.  He was not ready to hear the words of the Lord, yet.  I too can't always hear the words or the words are too hard for me to accept.

Lord Jesus, I follow the Ten Commandments fairly well and I observe the Precepts of the Church yet I am not happy. Lord, what do I lack? Give me the strength to accept Your answer and chose You over the world.  Free me from the cycle and give me the courage to follow you rather than walk away from you...

FROM THE SAINTS
"Detach yourself from creatures until you are stripped of them.  For the devil, says Pope St. Gregory, has nothing of his own in the is world, and he goes into battle naked.  If you are "clothed" when you fight him, you'll soon be pulled down to the ground, because he will have something to grab on to." - St. Josemaria Escriva - The Way #149


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