YOU ARE LACKING IN ONE THING

Gospel Thoughts

Ordinary Season : 28th Week – Sunday

GOSPEL – Mk 10:17-30 or 10:17-27

First Reading – Wis 7:7-11

SECOND READING -Heb 4:12-13

You are lacking in one thing.

1) The Rich Young man was looking for Eternal life

The rich young man was a pious man.This is because of the Following reasons

First of all he had a very genuine and important question. That is, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

This is one of the fundamental questions of our life, since the aim of our life is eternal life.

Secondly the way in which he approaches Jesus He ran and came, knelt before Jesus

This gesture is something very unique and special which also shows the character of the rich man and also the urgency of the matter

Thirdly He has been following all the commandments, since his youth. He was faithful in observing all the commandments in a meticulous way

All these show that the Young man was good in character and wanted to attain eternal life

2) Comes with Lots of Joy, returns with sadness

The rich young man came with lots of Joy. But finally he went way sad. Something very strange and unimaginable.

There are hardly any persons in the gospels who came to Jesus with enthusiasm and finally went away sad.

It is only this person who came with the expections of eternal life and finally went away sad.

3) Why He was sad?

He was sad because, he was not ready to give up his riches and possessions.

The Gospel says that he had lots of wealth and when Jesus asked him to give it to the needy he was not ready

His attachment to the wealth made him sad and he went away from Jesus

4) Jesus asked only one thing to do

With Rich young man Jesus didn’t ask another 15 things to do in order to inherit the eternal life

Jesus said, only one thing he is lacking, that is his attachment towards his wealth

If he was ready to give up that one thing he would have got so many great things which he lost because of one thing

5) What is that one thing in my life?

Like rich young man we too are pious Christians who follow all the commandments and other needed things

But today Jesus is asking us to give up that One Thing Am I ready?

That one thing could be the following

My anger
My pride
My selfishness
My attachment to wordly things
My attachment to money, wealth, position and possessions
My attachment to people and places
My attachment to certain food and things

So what is that one things becoming a hurdle for eternal life?

6) Give up One Thing attain everything

Rich young man was not ready to give up one thing, so he lost everything.

Zacchaeus gave up one thing and he attained everything

Am I ready to give up one thing to attain everything?

To give up that one thing one needs vision, determination, sacrifice, detachment, love and the value of eternal life

If so am I ready?

Think about it

God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones in this Sunday