Many of us are seeking after something more for our lives. At times, we are confronted with the realization that our lives are incomplete. We want to fill the void. While many of us live good and upright lives, we still wrestle with the question whether our lives can have deeper meaning, direction, and purpose.
And so, we become spiritual seekers like the rich young man in today's gospel passage from Mark 10:17-27. This internal struggle and journey of the rich young man leads him to Jesus. And it is in this encounter with Jesus that the rich young man asks: "Isn't there something more?"
Jesus never fails to respond to our seeking. Jesus, looking at the rich young man, loves him. Indeed, wherever we are on the journey of spiritual seeking, Jesus still loves us! It is from this foundation in love that Jesus then offers a challenge to the rich young man (and to us): "You are still lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, give it to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then, come follow me." The rich young man goes away sad, for he has many possessions.
What is our own response to Jesus' loving gaze and words of challenge? Can we detach ourselves from those things which hold us back from going deeper, from giving our lives meaning and purpose?
Whenever we seek out Jesus and encounter him, our lives will take a decisively new direction. Jesus will challenge us to go deeper, to go beyond living superficially. It might seem impossible for us to sell off our wealth or to let go of those things that possess us: ego, pride, past hurts. Living the gospel way is a real challenge to each and every spiritual seeker. This whole journey seems impossible!
But then, with those same eyes of love, Jesus looks at those spiritual seekers surrounding him and says, "For men, it is impossible. But not for God. All things are possible with God."
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