Each of us carries a sense—an inner whisper, perhaps even a holy prompting—that something in our lives is off track. Jesus says, “Look at the birds of the air.” They do not fret or store away, yet their loving Father cares for them. And we respond, “I want that kind of faith,” even as we save more money, spend more money, set more goals—and quietly continue building the prison.
Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler exposes just how carefully constructed that prison has become, and how diligently we maintain it. Within it lies something we have almost—but not entirely—obliterated: a deep knowing we all have. It is the recognition that much of our life is a weary chasing after what can never truly satisfy.
The Gospel tells us that the rich young ruler walks away sad. He decides not to do what Jesus invites him to do: “Sell all you have, give to the poor, and come follow me.” The rich young ruler walks away in sadness, his sadness tied to his great wealth, his position, his (dis?) comforts. And if we are honest, we often walk away sad for the same reason—because of what we possess, or what we long to possess, the accumulated “stuff” of life, including our positions. Our possessions do indeed possess us.
Yet the sadness persists, thankfully.
The chase may never end. Over time, it becomes our own finely engineered confinement. And deep down, we know this: we hold the key to unlock the door. Still, we are afraid of freedom. We fear what might be asked of us on the other side of those walls—beyond the bars, locks, and gates.
Here, at least, we know the rules. We understand the system we’ve built. We even know the warden—how he behaves, what he demands, what he allows. And though the warden is harsh, he is predictable. And we’ve had help along the way, watching and learning from other more experienced prison builders, more complacent fellow inmates, beholden to the warden and the system.
Love is not predictable.
Love says unsettling, unreasonable things: “Go—I will show you.”
“Sell what you have, give to the poor, and come follow me.”
“Love one another.”
“Have compassion for those in need.”
“Be merciful—to all.”
Love invites us to freedom with a steady drumbeat of inner sadness. May we each listen to that drumbeat until we’re able to be brave enough to use the key of Love, we’ve always had, to open the door.
Love opens us to freedom.
Soul Journeys 