First and foremost, discipleship is not a very easy thing in our lives. Jesus asks the rich man, and he is also asking each one of us, to divest ourselves of our idols and all the things that keep us from God. The Gospel presents us with a paradox: we lose what we keep, and we gain what we give away. When we lose our lives for Jesus Christ, we gain a priceless treasure and an inheritance which lasts forever. Whatever we give to God comes back a hundredfold. Generosity flows from a heart full of gratitude for the abundant mercy and grace which God grants. And generosity will be amply repaid, both in this life and in the life to come. Namely, we are to let go of the things of life that are used to oppress others. The rich man is not asked by Jesus to sell his riches because his wealth is evil; instead, Jesus is making the point that the rich man does not understand a fundamental aspect of Salvation. Salvation is a gift.

The rich young man in today’s Gospel wants to know what we all want to know—how to live in this life so that we might live forever in the world to come. He seeks what today’s Psalm calls “wisdom of heart.” He learns that the wisdom he seeks is not a program of works to be performed or behaviors to be avoided. As Jesus tells him, observing the commandments is essential to walking the path of salvation.

The Wisdom of God is not precepts, but a person—Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Wisdom whose Spirit was granted to Solomon in today’s First Reading. Jesus is the Word of God spoken of in today’s Epistle. And Jesus, as He reveals Himself to the rich man today, is God. In Jesus we encounter Wisdom, the living and effective Word of God. As He does with the rich man today, He looks upon each of us with love. That look of love, that loving gaze, is a personal invitation—to give up everything to follow Him.

We must have the attitude of Solomon, preferring Wisdom to all else, loving Him more than even life itself. This preference, this love, requires a leap of faith. We will be persecuted for this faith, Jesus tells His disciples today. But we must trust in His promise—that all good things will come to us in His company. We shall always have that good relationship with Jesus in our daily lives. Jesus will provide everything we need to reach salvation because Jesus is Wisdom, the word of God and God Himself who alone can save us and give Salvation to us.

Love and prayers,

Fr. Charley