Detached

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/081814.cfm) reminds me that God wants us to be detached from everything in this world so we can be free to follow him wholly

The gospel today shows us a man asking Jesus.. “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life…” Well, he certainly knew who Jesus was and was humble enough to ask Jesus what he needs to do. Jesus tells him the basics – follow the commandments. The man, like pretty much like all of us, he says he is trying to do these things. Then Jesus says something harder for him.: “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
We can see by his answer that the man is looking for something. The man knows he must do something else. When Jesus said he must follow the commandments, which he already does, he knew he must do something else. Alam nya, kasi hindi nya sinabing “yey, ok na ako, thanks!.” Jesus also saw what the man needed to do. In Mark’s account, it says that Jesus looked at him and loved him, and told him what he needs to do. Yes, Jesus loved the man, even if Jesus knew the man was not yet ready to give up everything for Him.

Good news – if we can say that we have been doing (or at least have been trying to do) the commandments that Jesus told the man, we are on the right path. We are halfway there!
Bad news – is it not enough. There is still something lacking. Jesus wants us to be detached from material things.

Jesus is not telling us getting rich is bad. Jesus is not telling us material wealth is bad. Of course it is nice to be rich – especially if you would share your blessings to those who need it. What’s bad is the attachment to material things – money, power, fame, etc. It becomes dangerous if accumulating such becomes the goal in life – when these things become the gods ruling our lives, and we lose sight of eternity with God. This is what happened in the first reading and the psalm. In the first reading, we see that the people have turned away from God. The psalmist says that you have forgotten God. When we give too much importance to material things, then we lose the focus on God. Only when we are detached from material things can we truly focus on God and can wholly follow Him.

What am I clinging on right now? Do I want to follow God and have eternal life? What is preventing me from fully following God? Material things? A bad habit? An unhealthy relationship? Do I feel that I cannot let go of these things? Do I believe in God when he says he loves me, like he loved the man in the gospel? Do I pray to God to give me the desire to let go, and ask him to help me all the way?

May we pray that God help us and grant us the desire to follow him and let go of anything that is preventing us from fully following Him.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for last weekend. Thank you for this new week you gave me. Thank you for the gospel that reminds me that you love me and you want me to be saved. Lord, I ask that you help me have the desire in my heart – to follow you and to rid myself of anything that is hindering me from fully following you. I pray for faith – in you, your love, and your power in my life. May I live this week aware of what I should do to glorify you. This I ask in Jesus name, Amen.

Have a blessed week!

In Christ,
-g-

PS
See related reflections
http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/05/stay-in-world-but-not-of-it.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/05/good-teacher-what-must-i-do.html
http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2013/03/empty.html