Amos 5:6-7,10-15
Hebrews 3:1-6
Mark 10:17-27
Psalm 90
"What must I do to inherit eternal life" Can’t you just picture this probably well dressed young man kneeling at Jesus’ feet, looking up into those eyes filled with love and compassion, asking the question and getting the answer Jesus gave him? Give it all away!! Can you imagine? He had worked hard to get where he was in life. He was following the Law and prophets. He was okay!. He liked where he was. Give it all away!! So this courageous, sincere, religious young man hung his head and walked away. At the time Jesus was simply a new prophet with a magnetic personality who spoke well and worked a few miracles. Not even his disciples knew Him as the Christ yet. Would we have done any different given the same circumstances? Tough question isn’t it. And one, I must admit, I haven’t dwelled on much at all. I’m a lot like that young man. My life is really good. I grew up in a good, solid Christian home with parents who loved and cared for me. I’ve raised 4 children and have been very happily married for over 22 years. My spouse and I have a loving, spirit filled relationship and my youngest son has grown and holds a job here in the city. I have always had a solid job with enough income to support my family and do pretty much what I want . Not rich by todays standards but I’ve never really needed for anything, . I give to the Church, the United Way and the American Diabetes Foundation. I have been an active member of the Episcopal Church my whole life teaching Sunday School, serving in all positions of the vestry over the years. Presently I belong to St. John’s here in St. Cloud where I sang in the choir, read scripture and preach occasionally. I was a member of the total ministry team which is currently at Trinity Episcopal Church in Hermantown. where I was in the process of become a priest until I moved to Michigan. I would have been ordained 6 years had I not chosen a promotion over ordination. At the time, I could not give up those prospects of earthly riches. I am currently a member of the Spirit of the Heartland total ministry team studying once again for the priesthood.
There are a lot of commitments with this choice. We meet 3 to 4 times a month studying the courses in the Education for Ministry series and one a month for a day session with the team during this formation process. We just finished up a three day team retreat in Little Falls. November 4 we meet with the Bishop for postulancy. And my health is good. By most people’s standards, I have it made. To a certain extent, I am that rich, young man. "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"
>From the apocryphal Gospel according to the Hebrews: And the rich man said to Jesus, "Master, what good thing must I do to really live?" Jesus said to him, "Man, obey the law and the Prophets." He said, "I have done so." Jesus said to him, "GO, sell all that you possess, distribute it among the poor and come, follow me!" The rich man began to scratch his head because he did not like this command. The Lord said to him, Why do you say you that you have obeyed the law and the prophets? For it is written in the Law, "You must love your neighbor as yourself, “ and look you, there are many brothers of yours, sons of Abraham, who are dying of hunger, and your house is full of many good things and not one single thing goes out to them."
Its a difficult thing to hear isn’t it Is Jesus really telling us to give it all away? I mean REALLY give it all away. It just doesn’t seem isn’t fair! I don’t think I can do that. And in reality, not many people can. It’s almost impossible to do. Are we all to be denied access to the kingdom? Well the answer is “ of course not!! Even Francis could not give it all up. He traded down from silks to sackcloth, from a mansion to a hut. and he served God by serving others. Music has always been a large part of my life. I have sung in the choir here for 6 glorious years. This fall I chose not to sing. With the commitment to the Ministry Team, it is important that I spend time with the 4 congregations we will be serving. I had to choose between something I dearly loved to do something and I am called to do. It was a difficult decision to make but the right one. In Duluth, I was in the process of become a priest until I moved to Michigan for a better position. I would have been ordained 6 years had I not chosen a promotion over ordination. On one hand I am a little poorer, on the other far richer. I think that this is what Jesus was talking about. I think this is a way in which we can start to thread our camel like lives through that narrow needle’s eye. Plan on doing something for someone else even if it means giving something else away.
Sigmond Freud’s favorite story was about the sailor shipwrecked on one of the south sea islands. He was seized by the natives, hoisted on their shoulders, carried to their village and hoisted on a crude throne. Little by little he learned that it was their custom once a year to make some man a king. King for a year. He liked it until he began to wonder what happened to all the former kings. Soon he discovered that every year when his kingship was ended, the king was banished to an island where he starved to death. The sailor didn’t like this but he smart and he was king, king for a year! So he put his carpenters to work making boats, and his farmers to work transplanting fruit trees to the island, farmers planting crops, masons building houses. So when his kingship was ended, he was banished not to a barren island, but to an island of abundance. It is a good parable of life. We’re all kings here, kings for a little while, able to choose what we shall do with the stuff of life. Choose wisely! And remember what is impossible for human beings is possible for God. We can be justified by grace. God loves us unconditionally. God will never abandon us.