28th Sunday Ordinary time - Year B

Once upon a time, long, long ago, two men lived in an arid land.  Nothing grew there except cactus, lizards and sand fleas.  Growing weary of being so thirsty, they decided to travel to Niagara Falls.  Upon their arrival, they discovered water thundering down in abundance.  Overjoyed at such a discovery, one of the men collected water in bottles and decided to come again every six months.  The other man didn’t go back, but built a house by the river.

Which of the two men showed himself to be truly wise, wise in the ilk of a Solomon (Wis 7:7-11) or wise in the manner of a Jesus (Mk 10:17-30)?  With which of these two men would you identify?  Whose lead would you follow?  Probably only a few of us would dare to admit that we might choose to go back to life in the desert and rely on the occasional visit to the river and the falls.  Would we dare risk our sure base of security?  Would we chance the loss of everything?

But this is precisely the choice put before would-be disciples by Jesus in today’s Gospel.  Represented by the man who ran up to Jesus to ask about a share in everlasting life, the disciples’ choice is clear:  One could continue to remain at the status quo keeping the rules that had been one’s guide since childhood, viz., not killing, not committing adultery, not stealing, not lying or defrauding and honouring one’s parents.  There is a certain comfort level here and one that can be attained with a modicum of faithfulness and perseverance .  After all, these are the rules of an honourable life and there is obvious virtue and a certain wisdom in living one’s life within these parameters.

Nevertheless, Jesus’ word to the man who ran to him and to every would-be disciple cuts the willing listeners to the quick.  Like a two-edged sword (Heb 4:12-13) that penetrates and divides soul and spirit, joint and marrow, the words of Jesus lay bare and expose the heart and mind of the disciple.  While Jesus’ words are always spoken in love (Mk 10:21), they are not without their challenge.  Come away from your comfort zone and from the satisfaction of your adeptness in keeping the law,  Jesus says.  Come away from knowing what you are to do, when to do it and why.  Come away from the safe harbour of familiar rules and obligations.

Let go of what you have stored against a rainy day, your secured savings.  Let go of what makes you feel invulnerable and prepared to face any and all exigencies and emergencies.  Come away challenges Jesus.  Let go, he invites.  Then come and follow me.  Attach yourself to me as if to a lifeboat on a stormy sea.