Monday, 19 August 2024. Readings: Ezekiel 24:15-24, Deuteronomy 32:18-21, Matthew 19:16-22
“I have kept all these; what do I still lack? Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’” (Matthew 19:20-21)
Religiosity without charity amounts to mere lip service before God. It is not enough to keep God’s commandments; we must also ensure that we do not make a god of our material possessions. If we cannot give out what we have, cannot help the less privileged, and do not care about the poor, it simply means the things we have are the gods we worship.
- The key to generosity is knowing where one’s security lies. Where exactly is my security? My bank account? My name? My friends? My job description? Or my God. If my security lies in anything material, I will become stingy, knowing it will not last forever. The young man walked away sorrowfully because he could not imagine life without his possessions. He felt he would die without money, expensive clothes, shoes, gold and diamonds, mansions, oil wells, etc.
- Try to put yourself in this young man’s shoes and allow the words of Jesus to resound again in your ears: “If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you possess and give to the poor.” Are you going to walk away? Will you bluff over this message and go about your normal day-to-day activities? Or will you take an excursion to your wardrobe and bring out clothes you no longer need so that you can clothe some poor people who cannot afford such?
- The Bible’s recording of this young man’s sorrowful disposition shows that, in truth, attachment to what this world has to offer only brings sorrow, pain, and sadness. Nothing in this world is capable of bringing us lasting happiness. True freedom is the willingness to risk losing everything because we know God alone is our security. Shun idolatry and stop worshipping your possessions. You were born without them, and you can still survive without them. Let go and Let God.
- Our first reading today contains another dramatic episode in the life of the Prophet Ezekiel. Not too long ago, we read how God told Ezekiel to act as one going into exile and carry the baggage of an exile and dig through the city wall in the sight of the people to draw their attention to what would come if they persisted in their sins. Today, we read how God told Ezekiel that his beloved wife, the delight of his eyes, would be taken from him, but he was not to weep or mourn. Ezekiel told the people this message in the morning, and that very evening, his wife died; thus, the Prophet himself became a sign to the people of the calamity that was to come.
- Dear friends, there is no gain in sin. Just as our Gospel passage encouraged us to give away our possessions to attain perfection, the Prophet Ezekiel’s life also encouraged us to give up our attachment to sin and our love for those things that displease God. You can do it without that bad habit and give up that secret vice. Let go and Let God.
Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, give us the grace of inner freedom. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Monday of week 20 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Ezekiel 24:15-24, Deuteronomy 32:18-21, Matthew 19:16-22).
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu
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