Father Rob said: Here’s a rather unique situation: we’ve got this man who goes to the Lord Jesus for help — for spiritual direction, actually.., and we read... that he goes away very sad. Our Lord cured people of diseases and they ran away shouting in delirium.., only one ever said, “Thank you.” Some were delivered from demonic influence. Many went away with something to think about... some go away so angry that, in fact, they make actual plans to kill Him... some are upset because they’ve been held accountable for what they’ve said or done and they can’t stand it... some become terribly envious because they’ve met Someone else Who knows more than they do... whatever the case may be. Whole human condition exposed!

Father Rob continues:

But this man is unique because, as we read, he goes away sad. We can always count on encouragement and that He
will look upon us with love. It just doesn’t arrive in the packaging we expect; and we’re all about packaging!

This man today got some tremendous advice for his soul — for his spiritual health... he got a practical plan to put into action... he received a PERSONAL invitation from God Himself to be a part of a unique group and mission... what
more could he ask for? And yet he goes away sad. He thought he was doing everything right.., but he’s sad.

Sadness for us? It can mean someone or something especially dear to us has been lost — that’s what grief is, and
we may be sad — Blest are those who mourn, for they shall be consoled... Sadness is when we feel pain for what
someone else may be going through — depending on the circumstances that could be compassion — the word does mean “to suffer with.”

Sadness may be a part of... we’re unhappy because we didn’t get what we wanted or expected... or we didn’t hear what we wanted to hear. It may, however, be what we NEEDED. Sometimes we have to look inside ourselves to see that things could always be better... each of us is a work in progress. That’s exactly what exposes our guy in the Gospel today. But a few things we can take away.

This man’s got everything going for him — he’s rich, (he’s young, the other Gospels tell us)... he hears what the Lord has to say... he understands it... it appears he even agrees with it... but in the end he doesn’t like it and he can’t bring himself to do it... because it’s not so much that he has many possessions... it’s that he’s too attached to them... too many THINGS possess him, and he’s sad because he knows he’d have to make some changes in his life.

Second... he doesn’t get commitment. The Commandments are a nice starting point. Maybe with some defensiveness,
the man said he’d kept them all his life.., hadn’t done one thing in his whole life to hurt anyone. Our Lord commends
this... but He also made it plain to this man that to follow Him is infinitely more than just a set of negative commands.

It actually has a much more positive foundation and outlook.., it’s something that can lack even in our
understanding of our religion today.
There’s more to our religion.., there’s more to life in God than simply keeping a set of rules, most of which begin “You shall NOT.” It’s something of a negative emphasis... “you shall NOT” It’s always worth perhaps remembering that Our Lord sums up all the commandments in a POSITIVE sense: You SHALL love the Lord your God, first and greatest. You SHALL love your neighbor as your would yourself.

Easy to be a nice guy... what’s difficult? Walk with someone who’s made a mess of life.., instructing someone who’s
doubtful... encouraged someone in the faith? Easy to throw money at something... more difficult to help someone help
themselves.

Evidently, this man saw how sadly he was still lacking in perfection... and he can’t change his outlook. He can’t make the shift from viewing his religion totally in terms of effort and reward. It’s sort of a passive way of looking at things. Our religion is decidedly more tied up with ACTIVELY seeking to do what is good than to simply avoid sinning. The young man really asks the RIGHT question... just doesn’t get the answer he expected.

God doesn’t want us to be “just good people”... that’s what the rich man thinks he is by merely keeping a set of ethics... by simply doing no harm. But God expressed to us that we must be perfect... You must be perfect... just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

And that’s what’s hard to hear... and seems an almost laughable impossibility.., it’s what experts tell us is completely unhealthy... and that’s what can make us sad. The things of God might not bring immediate happiness...
but they always bring lasting joy... and joy is knowing Who God is... and knowing ourselves as He’s made us to be.