DAILY HOMILIES #rich young man

Try to put yourself in this young man’s shoes and allow the words of Jesus to resound again in your ears: “If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you possess and give to the poor.” Are you going to walk away? Will you bluff over this message and go about your normal day-to-day activities? Or will you take an excursion to your wardrobe and bring out clothes you no longer need so that you can clothe some poor people who cannot afford such?

Unlike the rich young man who walked away sad, the true disciple seeks God first and relies on God for security. In today’s first reading, Saint Peter himself describes the true disciple as one who is committed to personal holiness, one who is not conformed to the passions of his former ignorance.

The honest truth is that riches bring a lot of happiness and security but there is a certain extent to which the continuous increase in riches no longer affects one’s state of happiness.

Just as Jesus said that with God, all things are possible, the Angel said to Gideon: “But I will be with you, and you shall smite the Midianites as one man.” That is to say, if we are to depend on ourselves, we are nothing but if we have God on our side, nothing will be too hard for us.

Given that he was not willing to give away his possessions, the young man walked away from Jesus sad. Do not make a god of your possessions. We brought nothing into this world and when we die, we cannot take anything with us. What shall it profit you to gain the world but lose your soul? Help the poor. Learn to give things away.

“Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed… glorify the Lord generously… with every gift show a cheerful face, and dedicate your tithe with gladness. Give to the Most High as he has given, and as generously as your hand has found. For the Lord is the one who repays, and he will repay you sevenfold.” (Sirach 35:4-11).