Commentary: The author of the book of Wisdom claims to be the famous King Solomon, but scholars agree that this ascription is literary fiction. The book, rather, was written centuries after Solomon’s life by an unknown Jew. That said, it was written in the tradition of Solomon and ascribed to him because he was the greatest wise sage in Jewish history. As the famous account goes, Solomon was given the choice by God to have anything he asked for. He chose wisdom over riches and was ultimately given both. The author of the book of Wisdom in today’s first reading is speaking as if he were Solomon, declaring his preference for wisdom over all the riches of this world. He chooses wisdom even over his own power and authority as king. For all the things of this world pale in comparison with divine wisdom. As is typical in the Old Testament, wisdom here is personified as a woman. This refers to the wisdom of God, which is ultimately embodied in Jesus Christ. God is the very definition of wisdom, for in Him all wisdom is found. Therefore, in choosing wisdom, Solomon chose God over all the riches of the world. Today’s gospel reading picks up on this same theme.
Commentary: God knows all things. In theological terms, we say that God is omniscient (i.e. all-knowing). Therefore, “no creature is concealed from him.” Still, we act as if we can hide from God. This tendency goes back to the fall of Adam and Even. As soon as they disobeyed God’s commandment, they “hid” from God in the garden. The fact is that God knew exactly where they were, both geographically and spiritually. God even knows our every thought, for “the word of God…[is] able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.” Still, we often try to run from God and ignore Him, especially after we have committed a serious sin or are are living in habitual sin. Today’s second reading reminds us that trying to run and hide from God is pointless. Rather, we should simply confess what we have done wrong and turn back to His loving embrace. God knows our hearts and will “render an account” (i.e. hold us accountable) for what we think, say, and do. But that is not because God is just “out to get us.” Rather, He is a loving Father who wants what is best for His children. He knows our hearts and it breaks His heart when we give our hearts to something other than Him. We’ll learn that lesson in today’s Gospel too. When we do fail to love God with all our hearts, He offers us forgiveness and mercy if we will only come out of hiding and ask for it.
Commentary: The question the rich young man posed to Jesus should be one we are all asking: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Answers to this question will vary in our society today, but a common answer is, “just be a good person.” Let’s look at how that answer compares to Jesus’ answer. At first it seems Jesus is telling the man to “just be a good person” when he tells him to follow the commandments. Similarly, today many people think that as long they don’t break any of the 10 Commandments, they’ll get to heaven. A typical line would be, well I’m a good person because I haven’t killed anyone, robbed any banks, cheated on my spouse, lied on my tax return, etc. We discover that the rich young man is a “good person” when he says he's observed all the commandments from his youth. But Jesus says that this isn’t enough. Jesus directs him to “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” Does this mean that the only way to get to heaven is to sell all our possessions and give to the poor? By no means! The key is the “come, follow me” part. Jesus knew that the rich young man was overly attached to his wealth and possessions. He knew that the man was treating money as his god. Jesus’ invitation was for the man to choose Him over everything else. It’s really a question of priorities. Is God the most precious thing to us? Would we be willing to give everything else up for Him? Wealth was not the problem for the man but his love of money and attachment to it. Therefore, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Love God above all else. Follow Jesus and surrender all to Him. It’s not just about being a “good person,” for we cannot earn heaven on our own. Rather, it’s about living our lives for Jesus as His disciples. This does not lead to a boring, mediocre life, but life to the full. God will reward our sacrifices for Him in this life and the life to come. And, ultimately, everything we give up for Him pales in comparison to the reward of heaven.
Taking it Home:
What are the “many possessions” that keep you from giving yourself totally to God? What are you clinging to—material things, comfort zones, relationships, appearances? What will it take for you to live fully for Christ’s sake and the sake of the Gospel?