Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Friends,

In Today’s Gospel we can identify three gazes of Jesus.

The first gaze: A young man runs up to Jesus, kneels and calls him “Good Teacher”. Then he asks “what must I do to inherit eternal life”, in other words, happiness (v. 17). Jesus’ answer restates the commandments that refer to loving one’s neighbours. In this regard the young man has nothing to reproach; but clearly does not satisfy his desire for fulfillment. Jesus perceives this desire in his heart; for this reason his response is expressed in…

The second gaze: an intense gaze filled with tenderness and love. The Gospel thus says: “[Jesus] looking upon him loved him” (v. 21). He realized he was a good young man.... But Jesus also understood his interlocutor’s weakness, and offers him a practical proposal: to give all his possessions to the poor and follow Him. His heart, however, was divided between two masters: God and money, and he went away sorrowful.

This situation frames the third gaze: “Jesus looked around and said to his disciples: ‘How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’” (v. 23). To the astonishment of the disciples, who ask him: “Then who can be saved?” (v. 26), Jesus responds with a encouraging gaze — it is the third gaze — and says: salvation, yes, “with men it is impossible, but not with God!” (v. 27). As if saying “If you trust in Me, you can overcome all obstacles. I will give you strength on the way”.

Let us allow be conquered by Jesus’ loving gaze, and thus deepen our conversion. Blessed Virgin Mary, help us to open our heart to Jesus’ gaze.

Fr. Remi Morales, Pastor