According to Jesus, the first way: Obeying God's Commandments (10 Commandments), this first method must be complemented by the second way: Following Jesus in life, because Jesus is the way to eternal life; However, this second method needs to meet 2 conditions, namely:
- trusting themselves sincerely in God's guidance where people are challenged to break free from attachments to personal desires and desires: money, place, people, position/position (worldly things). Attachment in any form that is only temporary in nature, often shackles people and makes it difficult to let go and often leads people away from happiness. All our hearts and minds are primarily for God and not for other things that can shift God's position in our hearts and minds.
- triving to live the Word of God in our daily life. As humans, we often act like the young man Jesus told about in today's Gospel. The young man was so attached and preferred to follow the call of earthly treasures than to follow the call of heavenly treasures. We too often find it difficult to separate our hearts from our possessions to follow Jesus, the Owner of Everything. For example, we find it difficult to leave our favorite android cellphone for only one hour to pray the Rosary or personal prayer. We are so attached to money, wealth, position, our hobbies, even worse, we have the heart to sacrifice other people to get the property and wealth we want.
Wealth has turned people's hearts into greed and blocked the way to meet God. Humans no longer really believe in God, but more strongly believe in material wealth that brings flattery, praise and honor. Are we more sensitive to the call to hunt for earthly riches or to hunt for heavenly treasures? Do we dare to let go of our wealth and share it with others or is the worry of losing worldly possessions very strong in our hearts if we want to share with others?
Furthermore, the disciples' questions sometimes also become our questions: What about us who have left everything and have tried to sacrifice to follow Jesus, whether the sacrifice of time, energy, thoughts or property? Are there any advantages that we get? Maybe we also compare our lives with other people who seem to sacrifice a little, but get name, praise and appreciation? It can be painful for us.
But Jesus explained that all sacrifices for God will surely be rewarded (verse 30). Those who have to lose something because of following Christ, will receive a double reward in exchange for all the losses suffered. God does not turn a blind eye to all that. God sees, notices and appreciates all of it. He does not neglect those who have sacrificed everything to follow the One who has it all. What we need to pay attention to is that the sacrifice of time, energy, thought, and property in serving others should not be based on the shadow of the award we will receive from God.
Do our service as a form of gratitude and our gratitude to Him, who has trusted us and who has given us the opportunity to do good serving Him in our fellow human beings.
My brethren, today's Gospel invites us to repent and dare to break away from absolute attachments to money, wealth, position, pleasures and worldly pleasures that often keep us from the Owner of Everything and live eternally with him in the Kingdom of God.
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