Gospel: Matthew 19:16-22
He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
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Reflection:
Would you give up everything to follow Jesus?
So near and yet so far—this was perhaps the predicament of the young man who approached Jesus and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. He had already followed the commandments faithfully, but when Jesus told him to sell all his possessions, give the proceeds to the poor, and then follow Him, the man’s heart grew heavy. He quietly walked away, unable to let go of his many earthly possessions.
This young man mirrors many of us today. Deep within, we desire to follow the Lord fully, yet we struggle to release our grip on the things of this world. Wealth, comfort, and security whisper to us, “hold on,” but Jesus lovingly invites us to “let go.” What is it about wealth that enslaves our hearts? We cannot carry it to our graves. We cannot cling to it when age weakens our hands, for eventually it will pass to someone else—or even be lost altogether.
Saint Francis of Assisi understood this truth. Though born into wealth and nobility, he gave everything away so he could respond wholeheartedly to God’s call. His radical surrender reminds us that true joy and freedom come not from possessing much, but from giving much. God’s will for us, too, is to share our blessings so that others may live and hope through them. Such surrender is never easy—it requires a change of heart, a reordering of priorities, and a lifestyle rooted not in self, but in Christ.
Yet perhaps God is not asking you to abandon everything as Francis did. Many of us have families to feed, children to raise, and responsibilities to fulfill. Still, we are not exempt from generosity. What matters is not the amount we give, but the love with which we give it. A small offering, when it springs from a heart of faith, becomes a great treasure in the eyes of God.
Following Jesus always costs something. To walk in His footsteps means releasing what we cling to most tightly—whether riches, pride, ambitions, or even our fears. But when we let go, we make room for Him to fill us with something infinitely greater: His love, His peace, His eternal life.
Are you like the young man in today’s Gospel, who walked away sorrowful because he had many possessions? Or are you like Saint Francis of Assisi, who surrendered everything in order to embrace the call of the Lord? — Marino J. Dasmarinas
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