Scripture:
As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “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 someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
~ Mark 10:17-27
Meditation:
I know, I know.
It’s impossible. Who could do such a thing? Who could imagine letting go of… well, everything, but let’s start with specifics. How could we let go of things that have sentimental value, for example. My grandmother’s ring. Or how could we let go of things we need… My car! What is Jesus asking us to do? Give it all away? Change our lives completely?
And yet, people do. People make changes, big changes, because, at some point, they realize they absolutely cannot go on as they have been. Something has to give.
I think that’s what is going on with the unnamed rich young man in our gospel story today. He comes to Jesus in a state of desperation, and he wants to know…he needs to know: what can I do? What else can I do, to follow where God is leading?
Yes, yes, I’ve already ticked all those boxes, he says. I tell the truth, I manage not to murder anyone, I’m good to the parents who were good to me…but what else?
Is that all there is?
I think the rich young man comes to Jesus because, despite wealth and position, he is unhappy. Something is missing, and he suspects Jesus might be the one to help him understand what it is.
The past year and a half has been an apocalyptic time, in the original meaning of that word. In Greek, apocalypse means “uncovering,” “revealing.” The past eighteen months have uncovered many things for us, some of them unsettling and upsetting. But some important things have been uncovered, too. We are in the midst of something that is being called “the Great Resignation.” Since the spring of 2020, millions and millions of Americans have quit jobs that they realized they no longer wanted to do—for all kinds of reasons, including inadequate pay, a toll that was being taken on their physical or mental health, or the simple realization that life is short, and this wasn’t how they wanted to live any more. Of course, the flip side of this phenomenon is the situation for those left behind, the ones who can’t afford to leave their jobs, are still working at low pay, and in many cases, find themselves filling in the gaps for businesses that are chronically short-staffed. But those who have been able to go, are going, and for many of them it is because they have finally understood that their life was not what they wanted it to be.
I think something very much like that was going on with the rich young man.
So, let’s talk about happiness, because I think that’s what’s at the heart of this man’s question to Jesus—what must I do? And, yes, I know the question he asks is about “eternal life,” which we 21st century Christians tend to interpret as “heaven.” But when Jesus speaks of “eternal life” he is speaking about something that begins now, a change in our patterns of living that lead us to deeper joy, greater satisfaction, and a sure sense that we are on a right path.
God does want us to be happy, I believe that—not superficially or only fleetingly happy, but the kind of happiness that goes deep and is not shaken by circumstance. Jesus urges the rich young man to commit himself fully to caring for the poor. By the way: our translation of this passage leaves something out. In verse 24 we read that Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God.” But in the original language, it reads “how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God.” This is the heart of the problem: Where do we finally place our trust? How do we measure our true worth? Whose standards do we use? What we don’t want? We don’t want to be in the position of turning away from the real thing, the right thing, the best thing, and going away sorry.
This is a story about being asked to leave one kind of life behind and to take up another. And it may well mean letting go of some things we thought we needed. But each of us is a precious, beloved child of God, made in God’s image and likeness. Each of us has been called to eternal life, not later, but starting right now: a life of deeper joy, greater satisfaction, and a sense when we wake up each day that this is the place. May that life find each of us, and sweep us off our feet. Thanks be to God. Amen.