What More is Needed?

Gospel: Mark 10: 17-30

We have all asked the same question as the man in today's Gospel portion: what must I do to gain eternal life?  We have kept the commandments and avoided harming others, but it does not feel like it is enough.  And it is not.  So, what more do we have to do?  We all want to know what else we need to do, but what? We go to the Lord in order to find out the answer.

But the answer troubles us deeply.  We have to do positive good for others - we are fine with that.  But we have to give up our own possessions in order to do so - to live a simple life of mercy and service to others.  But we are attached to our things. We have created entire systems of government and economics in order to protect our stuff and expand upon it.  We even create tax benefits for ourselves when we do give to the poor so we gain too.  

If we wonder why Jesus said in another place that we will always have the poor with us, we need only look within ourselves and reflect on our own reaction to today's Gospel.  If we have created a Christianity to suit our own preferences and possessions, today is a good day to begin anew, to follow the Lord Jesus in his example of selfless love and mercy to others.