Gospel: Mark 10:17-30
At that time, as Jesus was setting out on his journey, a man ran up, knelt down, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.” He said, “Teacher, all these I have kept since my youth.” Jesus looked at him with love and said, “You lack one thing: go, sell what you have, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At these words, he looked sad and went away sorrowful, because he was very rich. Jesus, looking around, said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. Jesus added, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” They were greatly astonished and asked, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundred times as much now in this present age—houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands—along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Fruit: Renew my trust in God. In Him is the foundation of my life.

Guidelines for reflection:
We have heard this Gospel many times, commonly known as the story of the “rich young man.” Perhaps we tend to read it as a call to priestly vocation: Jesus calling a young man to follow him completely, and he prefers his possessions and plans: he does not want to follow a vocation of total giving. However, the Gospel is addressed to all Christians, not just priests and religious. What does Jesus want to tell us in this passage?

1. The rich young man
The Master of Galilee travels through roads and cities. His presence and preaching impress those men. He is not just another rabbi; he teaches differently from others. From this admiration arises the concern in the protagonist of this Gospel: a young man, full of hope, seeking lasting, profound happiness—not superficial laughter. The young man, driven by the hope in his heart, approaches Jesus, worships him, recognizing in Him Someone great, and asks, “What can I do to get to heaven, to find my happiness?” It is the longing we carry inside, the desire to find an anchor for our hearts, which sail in the ocean of the world searching for happiness. Jesus Christ makes him a bold invitation: sell everything, give the money to the poor, and then follow me unconditionally. It is a call to total surrender, to renounce one’s own plans to fully follow God’s plan. It could be seen as a call to a specific vocation. Christ calls, but leaves the decision in our hands: “If you want…” You are the one who responds; I will respect your decision. We already know the young man’s response (he left…), and the reason for this response (because he was very rich).

2. Am I a rich young man?
This Gospel also applies to the life of every Christian. At baptism, we all received, without exception, a vocation, a calling to be Christian. I may not have a vocation to be a priest or religious, but I do have my vocation to be a Christian. And Jesus’ invitation to the rich young man also applies to me: “Go, sell your personal, selfish plans, your small world, and follow me along the path of love for the Church and the apostolate of everyday life.” In explaining this event to the apostles, Jesus gives us the key: the problem is not having or not having riches, possessions; the problem lies in where I place my trust. The rich who will not be able to enter the kingdom of heaven are “those who trust in money.” Indeed, there can be poor rich people, and rich poor people—those who live detached from material possessions, trusting in God, and those who only trust in their own strength, in their small human securities, forgetting the one who is the cornerstone, the foundation of our life.

Purpose: I will renounce some personal comfort to renew my full and effective trust in God.