The Gospel today is St Mark's account of the encounter between Jesus and the rich young man. I always find it a humbling experience to contemplate this incident. When the young man asks what he must do to "share in everlasting life", Jesus tells him he must keep the commandments of the Mosaic law. The humbling part is that the young man replies that he has fulfilled all of them since he was a child? Which of us could ever make such a claim? He is obviously a truly good person. When he asks what more he should do, however, Jesus says, "If you wish to be perfect, then leave everything and follow me." Despite his true goodness, the young man goes away sad "because he had many possessions". Like so many in later centuries who have been invited (not commanded) to leave family and possessions and follow the Lord totally, the young man cannot get free of his attachments.

Is this because he was rich? No! Peter realizes this clearly, because he says to Jesus, "Then who can be saved?" All of us have our attachments. However, God helps us to wean ourselves from them, if we will let Him. What is impossible to the rich young man and to us is possible to God. Like Solomon in the first reading, we must pray for wisdom, the one eternal treasure.

I have always felt that, considering how good the young man was, he eventually was able to leave everything and follow Jesus totally. What about you and me?