"Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone." Here Jesus is making a profound statement to this man. He is instructing him that he has not simply come to after follow another teacher (one among many), but instead the one who he now beholds is God (the only one). Teachers lead the way towards truth, but God is truth itself. This man could have decided to follow many different paths, but instead he had come to encounter the ultimate way towards truth. For this man to attain the rewards of eternal life he is not to see just another good teacher who now stands before him, but is to see the Savior who is the only teacher.
In our modern world we like to take the practice of religion down to it's lowest common denominator. Most often this seems to be stated: "be nice to everyone." Quoting Saint Luke's version of the Golden Rule: "Do to others what you would want them to do to you." Yes, Christianity must follow this principle, but we also must remember that we have also been instructed: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength and with all your mind.' And, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself." This is exactly where Jesus was taking this man in our Gospel. He was attempting to make him realize that He was not simply a teacher who is one found among many, but instead is the full expression of truth itself which must always be embraced.
From Saint John's Gospel: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." Do we really believe that Jesus is the way towards happiness? Do we really believe that Jesus is the truth that must always be defended? Do we really believe that Jesus is the way towards life? So often we avoid this way because we are not willing to let go of all that holds us back. So often we are not willing to accept that truth is real especially in matters of faith and morals. So often we are not willing to see the value of the cross from which springs forth true life. Are we in search of a good teacher or do we come here in search of God? Is it our desire to follow a teacher or is it our desire to follow God who is expressed to us through the fullness of our faith?
I find the posture that this man in our Gospel takes in encountering Christ to be most interesting. We notice that he does not come to Him standing and towering before Him, but instead he takes on a posture of lowliness as he humbly kneels before Him. His posture is reflective of the very fact that he was coming to embrace Christ. Our life is in need of Christ and is in need of His direction. We will not be sent forth from His presence to be lost in error or in hardship, but we will be embraced as He leads us out into the abundant harvest of the Lord. We should take time to allow Christ to guide us towards encountering truth and happiness. The youth of our parish should humble them self before Him that they may be guided in their vocation. We need priests, consecrated religious, and good and holy marriages that are founded upon Christ. The married and ordained should humble them self before Christ to allow them self to be kept on track towards everlasting life. Each of us are in need of Christ and the truth in which He extends into our life now matter how hard or difficult it may be to understand.
When we come to encounter Christ we can allow no earthly good to take priority over us. Christ is not just another good teacher, but He is the Messiah who has come to save us from our enslavement towards sin. Christ desires that we follow after Him and thus the truth that He always presents to us. Are we prepared to kneel and humbly follow wherever it may be in which Christ is currently calling us to follow?
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