28TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME B
SERIOUS WITH THE
QUEST
Catholic boy Pete learned of the
amazing feat of the saints who helped bring people to heaven. He befriended a
younger boy, Danny and convinced him, under his mentoring, to consider
receiving Holy Communion so he could get to heaven. Together the boys went on
their “quest” to get closer to God, an adventure that took the form of a
triathlon test for the younger Danny. Pete did not fully understand that Danny
was of a different religion (Jewish) and that he was dying of cancer. All that
mattered was that the two were willing to do everything they could to reach their
goal. (remembering the wonderful US indie film “Stolen Summer”)
These two boys appear to be more
serious with their religious aspiration than the man who approached Jesus in
today’s gospel. Initially appearing zealous about the Kingdom, he asked the
Lord what the conditions were for obtaining eternal life. Jesus offered to him
first the way of the commandments and he found that quite easy to muster. But when
the Lord raised the ante by demanding total surrender of everything the man
possessed, he went away sad.
Today the Lord reminds us that
entering the Kingdom demands an all-consuming desire for God and an absolute detachment
of the heart from all material and earthly hindrances. This definitely involves
obeying God’s laws. But more than this, it means the willingness to even lose
everything while retaining only the love of the Lord in one’s heart. And this
is where the problem usually happens. Religion has many regulations,
requirements, and stipulations. One can safely observe each of these and
survive the scrutiny of people who see the veneer of actions and performances.
For Jesus, faith, more than external
conformity to laws, calls for total trust, total surrender, and total
abandonment into the hands of the loving Father. This is not easy at all, not
convenient. For some of us, this will mean holding on to the faith in the midst
of hatred and persecution. Or continuing to believe in the midst of crises and
doubts. Or trusting Divine Providence in moments of difficulties, terminal
illness, and serious loss. Or groping in the darkness of unknowing, uncertain
of what the future holds.
Jesus, I cherish many things
which are really attachments that slow me down in following you. Give me the
power to shake off all these obstacles to total trust in you. Grant me the
grace to obey your commands, and most importantly, to offer you all that I have
and all that I am. Amen.
