This week's readings from the Book of Judges will show a pattern of sin, punishment, repentance and deliverance. When the Israelites choose evil instead of good, God chastises them for a time, but then God raises up a judge who teaches them how to obey the commandments, and once the people repent, the Lord delivers them from the power of the enemy. In today's reading the Israelites are given the option of worshipping God or serving the god of Baal, and they opt for the latter. God punishes their sin by withdrawing His presence from them. Their return to their evil ways manifests the results of following certain decisions, for they end up doing worse things than they did in their previous weakness.

The young man in the Gospel presents a marked contrast to the Israelites in today's first reading. He obeys all the commandments and asks Jesus what more he can do in order to possess everlasting life. Jesus asks the man to sell everything he has and to give the proceeds to the poor and then to come back and follow Him. The cost of following Jesus' way is to let go of nothing less than everything.