Mass Chat: The rich he has sent away empty....

St. Benedict Joseph Labre

 

Today's Gospel is about the rich young man who kept all the commandments from his youth, but went away sad when Jesus asked that he give up his own will, perhaps even his own ideas on what Christ really was teaching, and give it to the poor, and come follow him in meekness and humility. 

The man went away sad, bereft. 

But Jesus didn't, couldn't follow him.

The rich man went away empty.

It's kind of scary to be so cocksure. 

     What?  That's a word.

"Who can be saved then?"  They asked him.

"What is impossible for man, is possible for God."  He answered.

"How might one recover what was lost?"  I ask.

Speaking about something similar, St. Bruno wrote:

Therefore, my brothers, you should consider it certain that whoever in any way loses such a good, will grieve to his death, if he has any regard or concern for the salvation of his soul...
 

Perhaps that is how we might find the rich young man if we located him later in life, spiritually bereft and humbled, weeping and mourning.

In his riches, self-opinion and pride, man lacks wisdom...