August 19, 2013
Mt 19: 16-22
Then someone came to him and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; what do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved http://www.usccb.org/bible/approved-translations
In the Moment
One day a father and his rich family took his young son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip the father asked his son "What did you learn?"
The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden; they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden; they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard; they have a whole horizon. When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless. His son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are!" -Author unknown
As you move through your day, count how many times you stare past the moment – pressing to reach another destination point. Maybe it’s wishing a certain meeting were over, maybe it’s a particular chore you don’t enjoy, maybe it’s getting an errand completed, or a workout finished. Maybe it’s picking the kids up, getting through their homework, getting organization into the night activities. If we are not careful, life will become a blur, a routine of black outs, where now is never good enough and tomorrow is simply a repeat of today. We will look only to realize that we have missed the parade and there’s no reclaiming its wonder.
The little boy in the story savored the natural gifts of life. He received their wonderment and filled up on their richness. The child’s fulfillment is God’s intention for us. When we tighten our grip only on achieving, when we clench our jaws to make time work just for us, we become like the rich, young man - wealthy but hollow.
The young man’s invitation to follow Jesus resonates with us. While we may not have abundant wealth, we do have abundant minutes. Sadly, the young man turned away from Jesus to preserve his assets. To live joyfully and fully with our Lord, we need to aspire to a rich calling – keep both feet in the minute and enjoy a spirit of renewal.
—The Jesuit Prayer TeamPrayer
Lord, we believe that your awareness of our joys, our struggles, and our everyday life is complete. We place our trust in your intimate care for our well-being. You invite us day by day to “Come, follow me.” It doesn’t matter if we feel worthy of your call; it doesn’t matter if we feel close or distant to you. Your heart’s desire is to accompany us from sunrise to sunset. With gratitude we respond, “Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will.”
—The Jesuit Prayer Team
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