Monday, August 20, 2007

Come, Follow Me

And behold one came and said to him: Good master, what good shall I do that I may have life everlasting? Who said to him: Why asketh thou me concerning good? One is good, God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He said to him: Which? And Jesus said: Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness. Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The young man saith to him: All these I have kept from my youth, what is yet wanting to me?

Jesus saith to him: If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come follow me. And when the young man had heard this word, he went away sad: for he had great possessions.
Matthew 19:16-22 (Douay-Rheims)

Prayer

Dear Father we live in such a materialistic world that letting go of our possessions is the most difficult thing to do. But in a world where we are slowly removing you from our sphere, it is all the more harder to come and follow Jesus when we lack faith. You gave us commandments to follow and live by in the time of Moses when the people needed it. But so do we in our day and yet we break them faster than anything, yet you love us in spite of our sinfulness. Jesus asks us as well as the young man in his day, if we seek to be perfect, go sell what we have and give to the poor, and we will have treasure in heaven, then come and follow me. Can we do this ourselves? Many have! And some have also in another way given it all up to follow Jesus and live completely for him. May we open our hearts to the call of Jesus' voice and hear him when he says come follow me. This is where we will find true joy by following the will of God and taking up our crosses and following his Son.

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