MATTHEW 19:16-22 WHAT AM I UNWILLING TO LET GO OF?

Year A, Monday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time

In today's Gospel, a young man comes to Jesus with a sincere question: “What good must I do to gain eternal life?” He has kept the commandments and seems to be a good and faithful person, but Jesus sees that something is still holding him back. Jesus tells him to sell what he has, give to the poor, and follow Him. The young man walks away sad because he has many possessions, and his possessions have become more important to him than following Jesus.

The challenge of this Gospel is not simply about money or possessions. We can have very little and still be attached to many things—our pride, our reputation, our comfort, our plans, our need to be in control, or even our hurts. Sometimes we come to Jesus asking, “What more should I do?” when the real question is, “What am I unwilling to surrender?” Jesus does not want to take something away from us simply to make us poorer; He wants to free us from anything that prevents us from following Him completely. The young man had many possessions, but in the end, we might say that his possessions had him.

Perhaps today's Gospel invites us to ask ourselves: What is the one thing I am holding onto that keeps me from giving myself more completely to Jesus? It may be something very small, but if we cannot surrender it, it can become a chain around our hearts. Jesus invites us not simply to admire Him, but to follow Him freely. Let us ask for the courage to open our hands, let go of whatever keeps us from Him, and discover that what we give to Christ is never a loss—it is the beginning of a greater freedom and a deeper joy.

With Love and Prayers

Your Co-Traveler