FROM WISDOM 7 I prayed, and prudence was given me;
I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
I…deemed nothing in comparison with her, and I chose to have her rather than anything else.
FROM THE MARK 10 GOSPEL A man ran up to Jesus, asking: ,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; and should not dishonor your father and your mother.“ He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
HOMILY
We have always the next step to take with our Lord. He invites us to keep following him. What is the next step He is asking of you? As you mature in faith, you realize that we can be more in love with God and further along in commitments. It’s not a stationary position—this being a disciple.
If we pray for wisdom, then we are praying for the ability to see the next step. (The next step in following Our Lord.) We call it receiving God’s spirit of prudence. Prudence seeks what is best for us in the hopes of glorifying God. It helps us, then, see what must be chosen.
Lately, you may have gone to this prudence gift, and it may have given you sight and inspiration to take a new step in your Catholic faith. You may be embarking on the next level of growth or in trust with God. If so, then great.
But, most of us need a bit of prodding to move along in discipleship. This homily is to encourage you to prudently ponder God’s next step for your life towards Him.
2. We have a gospel example today of a man who is claiming to be interested in being good and that it hopefully will lead him to inheriting eternal life. He probably had heard that Jesus was speaking about eternal life and its availability via Him.
The disciples traveling with Christ take note that this is a rich man standing before the Lord. Rich, that is, in the material ways that one could acquire things, even under the Roman rule. In this meeting, Jesus quickly surveys the man’s life and internal condition, in that way only He could read someone, and then He asks some questions of the man: ‘You know what the basic commandments of God are—do you follow them? Do you not kill? Not commit adultery? Not steal? Not bear false witness nor defraud? Not dishonor father and mother?’ Before the man answers, Jesus knows already what will be the responses. This man has tried to live out the commandments, but coveting things and holding some things above His love of God is his weakness. It’s why Jesus doesn’t ask him about those commandments at first. (Do you notice they’re missing?) Jesus first celebrates the man’s victory in following many commandments well. Can he now take a new big step? (After all, the man was asking for eternal life!)
This man needs to make a move in his heart and faith. His opportunity is golden in that Jesus is there to invite Him to do so. Jesus knows what next step is needed for the rich man, as He also knows what next step is needed for you and I in our lives. This particular man needs to let go of his things—or this spirit of possessing them all, for really, they are possessing him instead. Jesus says: “Sell what you have, then come and follow Me.”
This is the next step for the man. It says he turned the offer down. His face fell, and he went away sad.
3. This was a big missed moment.
It is sad when people pass by a big opportunity. Or even a little moment missed can be a crucial time that leaves the person to remain where they are—instead of moving forwards, which Christ Jesus invites to happen. If He says follow Me, then you won’t be camped out in one spot to settle in for it. Eternal life is forward and up!
For God puts invitations out there for our lives to follow Him. He puts the next step or next level out there for us to claim.
I met a Catholic who said that he’s basically still in practice. He said “I go to Mass numerous times a year, though not every Sunday, but I pray over meals, do a least one random act of kindness every few days, and I go out with buddies from my Catholic high school days. We do good things, share good friendships. We all fund-raise for our alma mater annually, too.” I was happy to hear him give a report of trying to keep Catholic. But I knew something that was compromising him privately. I knew that the guy was also living with his girlfriend. That’s not of being a solid Catholic. Perhaps, I thought, it was his next step of following Jesus—of something to come to a reckoning about it. How could I put the proposal to him?
Guy, have you talked to the Lord about if living with your girlfriend is right for your faith and hers? Could you seek the Lord about it? Following Jesus means doing His will, especially in the love depart-ment, I’d think. I think it is dealing, too, with the virtue of honor.
This first reading today from Wisdom 7 says that a person really wanted God’s help on a decision to make. He says: “I prayed, and prudence was given to me, after I really pleaded for it!”
Do you want God’s opinion on your life? Do you want His direction?
The book of Wisdom was written just a matter of decades before Jesus came to the world, and some Jews were seeking God very much so—as evidenced in this bible book. God answered them.
4. Sometimes, if we lack wisdom, then we might not even realize how we miss something from God. God leads those who are seekers. We seek to keep growing and to please God. Ask for wisdom to be alert to God’s movement and His Shepherd’s voice.
As a parish we like to keep moving forward. Recently, in the area of stewardship, I was asking people to consider taking a Next Step in Giving to the Sunday collection. A parish needs this action. It is necessary to have a developing support to meet the 2024 costs of things, and it asks of people to increase help from time to time.
When I asked for an average $30 a collection, perhaps some members thought it was unnecessary. Or even the next step idea.
I think it is fair. (For wage earning members.) It works out that you are supporting the Sunday collection at a daily rate of four dollars and three dimes a day—at that set number. For Jesus. For the Church He established. For this parish He helped us start in His inspiration back in the 1980’s.
As we long for eternal life, one day we’ll meet Him to get in. One’s support for Jesus’ parishes I think will be on the list of important things we did. He’ll have a mansion ready for us for ought to be received in. What will be our present for Him in this meeting?
I think all these times of worship and praise, and spreading the gospel, and winning new followers into a parish (to serve them) will be a good present.
But on a general sense, and back to my homily start: I ask you for reviewing your own baptismal call: What is the next step God has for you to take in your Christian walk? I think it is a good one to ponder today. I don’t know what it will pose for you.
Only you and God may know so.
He leads you to eternal life, so let Him lead.