Imperfection

A young man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”

He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good.  If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 

He asked him, “Which ones?”

And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 

The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” 

Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 

When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 

This is today’s Gospel, and it’s the most compelling conversation Jesus is said to have had with anyone about eternal life and treasures in heaven.  None of us would want to hear such a simple yet seemingly impossible condition for eligibility; that is, sell all we have and give to the poor.  Then we may follow him.

Ah, but there’s a loophole for us to use if we sincerely want to follow Jesus, yet not sell everything.  He gives it to us although it’s “hidden” in the above passage.  Let’s face it.  We always look for loopholes.

I don’t wish to be perfect, whatever that means.   Jesus said, “If you wish to be perfect…”  I’ll settle for imperfection, because that’s what I am – very far from perfect.  We all are.

Therefore, we don’t have to go away sad.   We just have to realize possessions can trap us.  We can be possessed by our possessions.  In imperfect ways we can follow Jesus provided we remember to help the poor.  And that’s what we do at Christ the King, although there is always more we imperfect ones can do.

Deacon David Pierce