Lord, have mercy.
From today’s Scripture: “When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”—Mt 19:22
I find that to be one challenging passage in Scripture! I’m a 21st-century American, one who lives in middle-class prosperity. I am truly wealthy by world standards. My house is full of possessions, some which I rarely even use. If you’re reading this, you may well be in a similar situation, even if you’ve taken vows of poverty. We all are pretty well-off, truth be told.
Can I be close to Jesus? I certainly hope so. What are my deepest desires? That may be a key question. Am I willing to give up everything to get ahead financially? It seems to be the case for the young man in today’s Scripture. Alas, he walked away. Do I accept everyone as my neighbor? Do I act lovingly toward them? Am I generous? Unattached? Those are ways to follow Jesus.
Let us pray: Loving God, have mercy on me for the many times I have let possessions be more important for me than love. Inspire me to find my neighbor and to act lovingly.
Today’s author is John Feister, an award-winning journalist and leader of Glenmary’s Communications Team.