28th Sunday Year B - Homily 3 - 2012

Homily 3 - 2012 

The translation sells us a bit lightly when it simply says: Jesus was setting out on a journey. What Jesus and his disciples were doing was continuing the journey – the momentous journey to Jerusalem and to resurrection, the journey that would first go by way of Calvary.  Mark uses their journey as the narrative setting of the Christian journey across this stage of life to the next, in both of which we can live with the kind of life that he calls eternal life. 

Today's incident touches a number of significant issues. The rich man raises the basic question: What must I do to inherit eternal life? His general thrust is great, but his assumptions are all wrong. Eternal life can be a cliché that hides more than it reveals. The basic human longing is better phrased as life in all its perfection, life to the full, being fully alive. Becoming fully alive is not something that someone else, even God, can give us. And it is certainly not a factor of inheritance. We have to live it ourselves. God doesn't give it; God certainly enables it and empowers it. But we have to live it. 

Even the assumption behind: What must I do? is questionable. It would be better to ask: What kind of person must I become if I am to be fully alive?  In the case of the rich man, Jesus said: "Well, there is one thing you certainly lack: You're not free. You can't let go.  Jesus even adds: Do not call me good – which, I think, in this context may mean: Do not hand over your personal responsibility even to me. 

Interesting! Becoming fully alive seems to be a factor, not of having more or of doing more, but of having less and of doing less – of travelling lightly, of simplifying. But Jesus does not leave it there. We can't let go. None of us is free enough. For us, unaided, it's impossible. But that is not the end of it: For God, everything is possible. What we can't do alone, we can do if we let go of our controlling and allow God to transform us. 

How? Jesus looked steadily at him, and loved him – and invited him to follow. Likewise, before speaking to the astonished disciples, Jesus first gazed at them. What happens to people if they can be still enough for long enough to let Jesus look steadily at them, to gaze at them?  Let's keep reflecting. Becoming truly alive seems to be a factor also, perhaps even more so, of relationship, of learning to be loved and to love. Come, follow me!  And that takes shape in human community - well, perhaps, in Christian community. As we, enlightened, enthused, and empowered by the love of Jesus and of the Gospel, loosen our grip on [as Jesus says] house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children and land, we find true community. 

True community is where we do not relate in mutual co-dependency but where we are loved and where we love – relating, respecting, and appreciating each other – not owning, not needing. In Jesus' mind, this is the community of believers, of all who follow him - the truly catholic community.  For him, this is the hundred times better, hundred times more inclusive, community [his symbolic description, in fact, of the Christian community]– where [as far as he seems to be saying] there are no fathers, patriarchs, no one taking over people's personal conscience, but where all are brothers and sisters, mothers and life-nurturers to each other, and all see themselves as little ones. 

Where do we find eternal life? life to the full? How do we become fully alive?  Come, follow me!  Meet my gaze. Let me love you. But Do not call me good. Do not cling even to me. Learn the freedom of relating in love. Let go! Loosen the grip! Sit lightly! And see what happens.