“he went away sad”

This lesson is based on Matthew’s Gospel of the Rich Young Ruler, Matthew 19:16-22.
 
How did the young ruler see Jesus? The rich young ruler only sees Jesus as a teacher, a human. Jesus tries to correct his thinking by responding, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.” “It is not that Christ rejects the praise he is offered: he wants to show the depth of the young man’s words: he is good, not because he is a good man but because he is God, who is goodness itself.” [1]
 
We are not called to embrace part of Christ, but the whole Christ. People have said that they receive Christ first as their savior and then later as their Lord. To embrace part of Christ is to embrace all of Christ. In other words Christ cannot be our “savior” if He is not our “Lord”. The Blessed Virgin Mary gives us the example of embracing “the whole Christ” in her Magnificat, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” [2] Mary gives praise to Jesus, both Lord and savior.

What does the ruler want? “…what good must I do to gain eternal life?"

What does Jesus call him to? “If you wish to be perfect…Then come, follow me”

What is the result? “When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad.”

Did Jesus treat this man too harshly? No, not at all. In fact Jesus is showing how much he loves this young man. “Our Lord knows that this young man has a generous heart. This is why he treats him so affectionately and invites him to greater intimacy with God. But he explains that this means renunciation – leaving his wealth behind so as to give his heart whole and entire to Jesus. God calls everyone to holiness, but holiness is reached by many different routes. It is up to every individual to take the necessary steps to discover which route God wants him to follow.” [3] While there are different paths of holiness there is only one path, one way and that is Jesus Christ. “I am the way, the truth, and the life” [4]

What question would we ask Jesus? We also ask what is necessary for salvation. The rich young ruler was under the assumption that the Commandments were necessary and he was correct, but Jesus wanted to take things deeper. The Commandments are the means to following God, to holiness. Today we might say The Sacraments are necessary and for a Catholic this is true, but Jesus uses the Sacraments as a means to take us deeper, they are the means of sanctification, of holiness.
 
Which of the 10 Commandments did Jesus ask the young man if he followed? “You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother." These commandments are 5^th (shall not kill), 6^th and 9^th (shall not covet neighbors wife and adultery), 7^th and 9^th (shall not steal, covet neighbors goods), 8^th (shall not lie), and 4^th (shall not dishonor mother and father). It is clear that the rich young ruler is following the 4^th-10^th commandments (love of neighbor), but has failed to follow the 1^st-3^rd (love of God). We are called to the love of God as our primary vocation, the call of holiness. We are also called therefore to love neighbor for the sake of God.

Do we want the Sacraments or Salvation? Do we want Heaven or Holiness? Sacraments are the ordinary [means] of salvation [end]. They are the “good” we do to “gain eternal life” If we are just preparing to receive a Sacrament, for the sake of the Sacrament alone, but have no desire for holiness, the Sacrament will have little effect in our life. Yes, the Sacrament is valid and real, but our disposition is necessary for the Sacrament to be effective in our life. If Heaven is our goal, but not holiness, we have missed the point of a Life in Christ. Yes, Christ came to open heaven, but He also came that we might become holy. Jesus says, “If you wish to be perfect…Then come, follow me.” We are called to heaven, because of our call to holiness. Let us no go away sad, but dignified and hopeful that holiness is attainable through the grace of God.
 
What would we say if a parent bought a teenager a brand new car, and then after buying it told the teenager that it must be parked in the garage and never be driven? Many times, parents work hard to prepare their child for First Holy Communion. They are so proud on day their child receives Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. After this holy day, however, the parents never attend Mass again, and therefore their child is deprived of receiving their 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th (and so on) Holy Communion. What a deprivation! If we seek only the Sacraments, but not what the Sacraments give us, we like the rich young ruler walk away from Christ.

[1] Navarre Bible Commentary St. Mark, pg. 138
[2] Luke 1:46-47
[3] Navarre Bible Commentary St. Mark, pg. 139
[4] Jn. 14:6