“Be Careful What You Wish for…You Just Might Get It!”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
October 13 – 14, 2018
Scripture: Mark 10: 17-30
The Rich Man.
17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?* No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.’” 20 He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 24The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to pass through [the] eye of [a] needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel. 30 who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many that are first will be last, and [the] last will be first.”
If I had lots of cha-ching and said that I was giving you a Bentley or Rolls-Royce, would you be ecstatic with happiness? Yes, of course you would! But…be careful. Having an expensive car comes with higher insurance premiums, and it will need regular service which can be pricey. You might want to keep your prized possession in the garage to guard against birds pooping on it. Perhaps, you will need a bigger garage that is heated and air-conditioned too. You also might want to be careful about where you drive your new car. You’d be terrified to drive it to Walmart or you might need to leave it parked in Badin and walk to work. Your new car may be a prized possession, but it possesses you.
When I was in the Army, we could take whatever we wanted to the field (military version of camping) as long as it fit into our backpacks….which meant we had to be able to carry them. I learned quickly to only pack what I absolutely needed while in the field. Those backpacks get very heavy and become a burden – very quickly – especially during a 10 mile march. It is the same with our possessions.
When a rich man asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, the man was shocked and saddened when Jesus told him to sell all of his possessions and give to the poor. The man, who felt that he had obeyed the Commandments all his life, could not bear to part with his wealth and status, so he walked away. Christ did not chastise the rich man, but looked at him with great love. We, too, suffer when we allow wealth or work to keep us from a closer relationship with God. There is little joy in a selfish life focused entirely on self. When we grow close to Christ, and trust Him for the things we really need in life, we don’t need to hold on to our possessions and positions for security.
We are possessed by our possessions . However, we were not created to accumulate things….they can become a distraction. They require time, energy, money, and divert us from the things in life that matter most. More stuff will not make you happy. Quite the opposite is true. What matters at the end of our life is not the house we lived in, the car we drove, or the possessions we purchased. The greatest possession on earth we can have is our Lord Jesus Christ…to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him, and to be possessed by Him. Once we are possessed by God, we have everything…we are rich…and everything falls into place.
We are self-possessed, and that is our greatest possession. We can fulfill our vocations and enjoy the fruits of our labor without feeling guilty. However, along with our vocations, come responsibilities. If you are married, you are responsible for providing for your family and guiding them. If you are single, you have a responsibility for service to the community and to the parish.
A universal truth is one that applies to everyone regardless of gender, race, status, or beliefs and is one that everyone believes to be true; for example, gravity. Other than that, everyone has their own version of the truth. Today, people like to say that “they are proclaiming the truth.” They say their bodies belong to them to do with as they wish. They are forcing their own will onto society. But there is only one truth. Christ said “I am the way, and the life, and the truth” (John 14:6).
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you eliminate the stuff that distracts you from a closer relationship with God?