3rd
Feb. Trinity
(Sunday
before Ash Wednesday, 7th Sunday before Easter)
Luke
18: 18-34
 |
| The Rich Young Ruler, by Heinrich Hofmann |
One
of the highest spiritual leaders of the people asked him, “Good Master, what
must I do to obtain eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is
good but One—God alone. You know the commandments, you shall not destroy
marriage, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not speak untruth,
and you shall honor your father and your mother!
He
said, “All these I have observed strictly from my youth.”
When
Jesus heard this, he said, [Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said… Mk 10:21]
“One thing however you lack: Sell all of your possessions, and give the money
to the poor; thus will you achieve a treasure in the spiritual world—then come
and follow me!
He
was sad about these words, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw him
thus, he said, “What hindrances must those overcome who are rich in outer or
inner possessions, if they want to enter into the kingdom of God kingdom
of God
Those
who heard this said, “Who then can be saved?”
He
said, “For man alone it is impossible; it will be possible however through the
power of God working in man.”
Then Peter said to him, “Behold, we have given up
everything to follow you.”
He
replied, “Amen, the truth I say to you. No one who leaves home or wife, or
brother or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
Then he took the twelve to himself and said, “Now
we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything which the prophets have written
about the Son of Man will fulfill itself: He will be given over to the peoples
of the world; they will mock and taunt him, they will spit upon him and scourge
him and kill him; but on the third day he will rise up from the dead.”
Yet his disciples understood
nothing of all this. The meaning of his words remained hidden from them, and
they did not recognize what he was trying to tell them.
3rd February Trinity
February 19, 2012
Luke 18, 18-34
The blossom possesses great beauty. At its fullness, it can
seem almost perfect. Yet its petals must fall away and its beauty withdraw if
it is to move on to serve its true purpose—to bear fruit and the seeds of new
life.
 |
| Hofmann, detail |
The rich young man has reached such a point in his life. He
must move past his own perfection, sacrifice his riches, so that he can take
the next step. For all of us come such nodal points in life, when we are called
upon to release the achieved and move forward.
Yet fear of loss can cause us to overlook an important
element in this process. Christ says to the young man, to all of us—Follow me.
I will lead you through this. I will be with you always, through suffering and
loss, through death. I will lead you to victory over death, to new life.
As the poet says
 |
| Sombart |
The greatest secret of
life
is death,
the great transmuter
who leaves nothing
as it was,
who changes all
renews
enlivens—
new life
begins
in passing away
endure it
hold on through it
rise up
The greatest secret of
death
