Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy! — Psalm 90:14

Mass Readings: Wisdom 7:7-11 / Hebrews 4:12-13 / Mark 10:17-30 or 10:17-27 

Good Enough 

In high school, I had a very merit-based view of entering heaven; all of my good works were like little treasures I would store up and then cash in at heaven’s gates. However, as my personal failures multiplied, they reminded me that my attempts to earn my way to heaven were both futile and insufficient. 

Over time, I heard Jesus’ invitation to the rich young man in today’s Gospel: “Sell your riches and follow me.” Instead of using all my strengths to prove my worth, Jesus asks me to use them to follow Him. But I know that following Jesus also means taking up a cross. I may not have the strength to do that on my own. I would have to depend on God, and that’s precisely the point. 

Prayer: Loving God, thank You for Your invitation to love.