Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Gospel passage relates the story of the Rich Young Man. This particular story always reminds me of one of the basic challenges of being human. I suspect every one of us have something in our lives that we have long wanted to change—be it a habit, a particular behavior, or maybe the handling of our finances. We make resolutions to change ourselves and quickly find we are unable to do so. But in the Gospel, Jesus says it is not about us changing ourselves. Jesus tells us that what is not possible for us can only be accomplished by God. It is more about letting go of that ‘one thing’ than resolving to change by our own power.
The rich young man comes to Jesus under the illusion that he can control his life and eternal fate. After all, he has followed the commandments his whole life. It is only when Jesus, looking at him with love, reveals to him that his attachment to his material wealth stands between him and God that this young man sees the truth. Like each and every one of us, the control and security we cling to outside our relationship with God is an illusion. Jesus’ words cause the young man to walk away crestfallen. I wonder what he found more difficult to face—letting go of his wealth or his personal powerlessness to do so. How often do we find ourselves in this exact situation? How many times have we heard that whisper of God reminding us of that ‘one thing’ in our own lives that keeps us from moving closer to God? We try and change ourselves but find, more often than not, we are powerless to do so.
So what does it mean to let go of that ‘one thing’ that I just cannot seem to give up? It is not about setting my mind to control the situation—this is exactly what I instinctively do. And it nearly always fails. Paradoxically, it is about turning it over, surrendering, giving up control that allows me to let go of that ‘one thing’. It is actively letting God take the reins and trusting God with whatever is keeping me at a distance from Him, becoming open to the encounter with Jesus that will transform and release me from the bondage of that ‘one thing’.
I wonder, if just for this day, I can truly pray for the willingness to let go of my need to control. I wonder if my faith in God can exceed faith in myself. I wonder if I believe the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel—“for men it is impossible, but not for God”—and let go of that ‘one thing’ I have repeatedly sought to change in myself with no success. Maybe I will change all my wondering into earnest prayer to God and God will indeed accomplish the impossible.
--Gail Lyman