Personal Gain

Jesus message in today's Gospel is quite clear, "sell what you have and follow me." In our world today this is quite challenging especially for those of us who reside in developed countries. But as James states in verse 1:22 "be doers of the Word and hearers only." Do we forget who we are? Do we forget that we are not on this earth for ourselves? With the many creature comforts it is easy to do so.  Yet we don't have to sell our soul to our possessions and obsessions to obtain true life.  I often can be paralyzed by the frenetic pace of life around me and the desire to gain more and more.  However, through God's grace I realize that this only brings emptiness and is short-term. The idea that we know it all and there is no longer a need for God only brings us closer to personal destruction and on a larger scale societal chaos. We don't have to look far for this during the past month. I can ask as the young man in Matthew asked "Jesus, what do I lack?" The answers will come in prayer and reflection.  For myself, it is clear what I lack. My sale is to my Lord, my Redeemer, my strength.  It is only through this surrender will I find treasure.