When it comes to the spiritual life, it is easy to fall into complacency.
We can feel that we are good enough, or doing enough, and that God is happy enough with us. Unfortunately, this attitude is not enough. If we want to grow in faith, then we can never be complacent.
In the Gospel of Mark we are presented with a passage that involves a wealthy young man who asks Jesus what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. This is a significant encounter because it also appears in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
Jesus answers his question.
"As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, 'Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?' Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.' He said to him, 'Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.' Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, 'You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.' When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions." (Mark 10:17-22)
Why was the man shocked at what Jesus said to him? Perhaps he expected to be congratulated for keeping the commandments since his youth. Maybe he thought that Jesus would tell him that he was doing enough and did not need to do anything more.
We will never know what he was expecting to hear; nonetheless, what we do know is that what he heard deeply disturbed him.
We are told that this man had many possessions and Jesus was asking him to give his wealth to the poor so that he could have "treasure in heaven."
Jesus understood that what he was asking was difficult; nevertheless, this is a necessary prerequisite for discipleship. This is why the Gospel states, "Jesus, looking at him, loved him …"
It was this loving gaze of Christ that said to the man, do not be afraid; trust me and follow me. The man could not accept this invitation and we are told that he "went away grieving." It seems he could accept the minimum faith requirements, but nothing more.
What happens next is very interesting.
Jesus does not run after the man and apologize for causing him grief. He does not invite him to keep his possessions and follow him. The man's anguish does not prevent Jesus from stating the truth. Sometimes we forget that the words of Jesus were not only comforting; but they also challenged the comfortable.
In verse 24 Jesus states, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God."
The truth is that the more we have the easier it becomes to focus on possessions rather than people. When it comes to caring for the poor and those most in need, we cannot be distracted.
We hear a great deal about poverty and homelessness in Niagara and beyond. As Christians how should we respond?
Jesus may not be asking us to give up all our possessions; however, he is still asking us to give. Are we doing enough?
As Christians, we cannot be complacent and simply accept the status quo. We need to work at having more 'treasure in heaven' than on earth.
Gerard Bergie is bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Catharines.