Brian’s Reflection: Sunday, October 14, 2012

Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth."
Jesus, looking at [the rich young man],

loved him and said, " You lack one thing; go,

sell what you own, and give the money to the poor,

and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." …

The young man went away grieving.

From the Gospel for Sunday, October 14, 2012 called Mark, chap 10; Proper 23B, RCL

[  The complete Readings for this Sunday can be found at http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Pentecost/BProp23_RCL.html  ]

Learning how to live one’s Life as a glorious “success in Life’s eyes” is not a matter of “arriving”. It is a matter of creating and shaping every moment and day of one’s Life. It is a Journey which has no end; it is part of Eternity. It defines one’s every moment. No judgment can be made of it except on the criterion of dogged faithfulness.

What had the “rich young ruler” not yet understood? He hadn’t yet understood that at some point on the Journey to claiming Life … and it can come to us early or late … one must make the choice about what is at the heart … about what lies at the core of becoming a genuine person.

For Christians … and for all of us in perhaps different terms … we must decide what it means to love, and open our Being to comprehend this great Mystery. Christians “gaze” at the cross  … and in so doing invite the “Spirit of God” to show us the heart of the Mystery.

What is Jesus’ Message? Simply this. First, understand that every human being is defined essentially by the fact that they are unconditionally Beloved. Second:  that the path to such birth, the Biblical “born again to fullness of Life”, begins when we choose radically to love every human being, seeing that this choice for Love defines out unique Self. The more we give away our essence, our Love, the more we enter into our unique personal reality.

Every day, Life says, as Jesus said, “Follow Me”. What a mess I’ve made of it over 50 years! But I’ve realized it’s ok (and natural) to make as mess … as long as one sees and acknowledges the mess as soon as possible. Freeing us to this process is the critical ministry of “church” … so church-goers beware! The jolly “banquet” is eaten by those who learn to give away the infinite love of Belovedness.

What do we need, essentially? We need to accept the Divine embrace. Once we let ourself be enfolded into Love, every second we live makes us like “God”.

Brian+