If you wish to be perfect
Jdg 2,11-19; Ps 105: Mt 19.16-22
19 AUGUST
Jesus came to fulfil all the Law and the Prophets. The first fulfilment is moral. The justice of the scribes and the Pharisees must be overcome. This overcoming is given through the six oppositions between Ancient and New Law. Here are some examples.
I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.’ But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect (Cf. Mt 5,20-4).
For those who are called Jesus wants that to moral is added spiritual perfection. What is this perfection? In handing their whole lives over to the Lord so that he may make of it an instrument for the proclamation of the Gospel and for building up his Kingdom on our earth. Since no man might serve two masters, might not care for the things of the earth and the things of the Kingdom, it is necessary, even obligatory to leave the things of the earth and be dedicated entirely to the things of the Kingdom of God. It is this perfection that man refuses. He refuses it because his heart is attached to the things of the earth, to the goods of this world. Sadness attests to the non freedom of the heart. This man is attracted to Jesus and is attracted to wealth. He chooses wealth, he leaves Christ. But Christ is the true good, the true wealth. It is the ideal of his life. It’s what his heart looks for. But it is a prisoner. It does not have the strength to follow the better, indeed the best for him. He goes away sad.
Now someone approached him and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 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; honour your father and your mother’; and ‘you shall love your neighbour 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.
Sadness is a sign of defeat. It attests and reveals imprisonment. Man knows he is a slave, a prisoner, dominated by his many goods. He could have freed himself from this slavery if he had asked grace to the Lord. When the heart is called up and fails, then it is time to pray. What Christ Jesus did in the Garden of Olives every other man is called to do. The flesh is weak. If the spirit wants to overcome the weakness of the flesh, it must draw every grace in his God. Jesus has always taught it. Certain species of devils are not removed except by prayer. The devil of wealth is removed with intense prayer, without any interruption.
Mother of God, Angels and Saints, obtain for us from the Father the Spirit of trusting prayer.