The Heart of the Matter
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Matthew 19:15-22
Then, laying his hands on them, he went on his way. A young man came to him and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?” He answered, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “’You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother’; and ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Grace Prayed For
The grace that this scripture reflection prompts you to pray for is the grace of communion and intimacy with God.
Reflection
This passage invites us to a deeply personal encounter with Jesus, one that moves beyond a checklist of good deeds to a radical call to love. The rich young man, a seeker of eternal life, has meticulously followed the law. He’s done all the right things, but his heart still senses a void. In his humility, he asks, “What do I still lack?” This question is our own. We can’t help but feel a pang of recognition; haven’t we, too, tried to earn God’s love through our efforts?
Jesus’s response is not a rebuke but an invitation. He looks at this young man not as a failure but as a beloved son ready for more. “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Jesus isn’t demanding poverty for its own sake. He’s asking the young man to release his grip on what separates him from true freedom—his possessions. These were more than things; they were his security, his identity, his worldly treasures. They were the very things preventing him from fully receiving the limitless treasure of Jesus himself. This is a call to be poor in spirit, to empty ourselves so we can be filled with Christ.
The young man’s sadness is a mirror of our own reluctance to let go. We too cling to our comforts, our pride, our self-sufficiency. We can be sad because we recognize the cost of following Jesus completely. But the grace of this passage is that we don’t have to walk this path alone. Jesus unites us to his Body, the Church, where we can share both our burdens and our treasures. When we give up our own possessions—be it material wealth, time, or even our ego—we are not losing something; we are making space to receive from others and to give to them. We are joining a community of believers who are all on the same journey, leaning on one another. The very act of selling all and giving to the poor is an act of communion, a tangible way of sharing in the life and needs of Christ’s Body. This is the path to true intimacy with our Trinitarian God—being so filled with his love that it overflows from us and into the world, uniting us all.
Announcing Jesus in Our Lives
Evangelizing in My Daily Life
My baptismal mission is to partner with Jesus in his mission to restore all of creation, and I can fulfill this by living out the Gospel in simple, tangible ways. Jesus has loved me by patiently calling me out of my own sadness and self-reliance, teaching me that true life is found not in what I have, but in who I serve. He has shown me that my worth isn’t in my achievements, but in my identity as his beloved child. Because Jesus has impacted my life so profoundly, I am compelled to share this love. .
I can evangelize by being a partner in community. This means not only praying for others but also sharing my time and resources. I can invite someone to join me for coffee to talk about life, volunteer at a local charity, or participate in parish activities. By being a part of the Body of Christ and actively sharing in its life, I am proclaiming the Gospel and fulfilling my mission to bring God’s love to the world.
In my day-to-day encounters, I can evangelize through small acts of kindness. Whether it’s listening to a colleague who is struggling, offering a helping hand to a neighbor, or simply smiling at a stranger, I am a living witness to God’s love.
I can share my faith through humble witness. This means being quick to forgive, slow to anger, and ready to share a word of encouragement. I can share my own story of how Jesus has transformed my life, not as a perfect example, but as a testimony to his grace.
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post