Gospel Commentary: Follow in Faith

By Fr. Jack Peterson
Herald Columnist
(From the issue of  10/9/03)

Jesus’ encounter with the rich man in today’s Gospel is a powerful story outlining by way of contrast how God wants us to respond to Him through the virtue of faith. It is by way of contrast because this poor man tragically fails to respond, at least at this moment, in faith to Christ’s wonderful invitation to follow Him. There are four clear elements of the virtue of faith that Christ demands.

First of all, Christians must be willing to observe the Ten Commandments. Because of sin and pride, we do not see clearly what is true, good and beautiful. We need a great deal of guidance and help to figure out what actions and attitudes really lead us to happiness. We often think we know what leads to happiness, but left to our own devices, we do not know. We have to be humble enough to stop trying to figure it out on our own and trust in the path that God has outlined for us. That path clearly follows the way of the Ten Commandments. Faith demands obedience to God.

Second, faith is a response to God’s love. "Love then consists in this, not that we have loved God but that He has loved us." St. Mark is abundantly clear here. "Jesus, looking at him, loved him." This poor man was either unable to see all that was behind this loving gaze or he chose in the ugliest moment of his entire life not to respond to it. How tragic! He refused to allow the infinite love of God to penetrate his heart and transform it. So there was no hope that he would properly respond to what Jesus would ask of him next.

Third, faith empowers one to let go. Mark’s famous rich man was so focused on his wealth, so attached to it, that it stole his freedom. He was unable to follow Christ because he could not see beyond his possessions to the greatest treasure of all which lay before his eyes. Faith enables us to let go of every attachment in our lives so we may attach ourselves to Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life. Ask yourself: what is my biggest inordinate attachment? Is it my possessions? Is it someone I can’t forgive? Is it my job? Is it pornography? Is it my Amstel Light?

Finally, our Christian faith proclaims from the mountaintops that we cannot do one good thing, even the smallest, without God’s help. We certainly cannot climb to the mountain peaks, where disciples of Christ learn to turn the other cheek, become pure of heart, and love others more than themselves, without the very life and love of God flowing through every fiber of their being. What Jesus offered (salvation), and what He asked of this man (go, sell and follow me), he had no chance of accomplishing on his own. "For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God." Faith enables us to see and accept this reality of our broken human condition.

Sometimes it helps to see the truth by contrasts. This poor rich man’s miserable failure to appreciate what lay before him is a dramatic call to us to avoid the same blunder. Being a hope-filled Christian, I like to think he later recalled Christ’s loving gaze, sold his possessions, gave them to the Church and became a follower of Jesus.

Fr. Peterson is campus minister at Marymount University in Arlington.

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