Our readings today are about keeping it balanced! We know that we are material beings living in a material world! But the balance that we need to remember is that we are at the same time spiritual beings living in a spiritual world that will carry us right on through to the continuation of our life after the physical death of the material part of us. Even this is not the whole story – because one day the decayed material body will rise and be transformed into a spiritual body – as happened to Jesus.
The question is: where will we be spending eternity with this risen spiritual body? Jesus came to give us clues as to how to prepare for the decision of a lifetime!
In the gospel passage he tells the rich young man (rich as far as the material world is concerned) that keeping God's commandments is very important and meritorious – but that unless one also involves oneself with care and concern for the poor – then the keeping of the commandments is not worth anything at all. The balance is achieved by doing both: keeping the new commandments which involve love of God and love of neighbor
In the first reading St. Peter tells his listeners that the goal we must focus on in order to keep our balance is heaven: the spiritual life in the spiritual kingdom. He says that Jesus came from the Father in heaven to reveal this kingdom to us and to invite us to participate in it – and not only that but also to empower us (by the death and resurrection of Jesus) to participate in it. Faith in Jesus is the key to eternal life, and this faith in order for it to be genuine must be tried as gold is tested in fire. There must be suffering first, so that there can be true rejoicing afterwards – after the example of Jesus' Passion, Death and then glorious Resurrection.
St. Peter lays before us the concept that must be uppermost in our minds each and every day – the salvation of our souls. We should think, say or do nothing that will jeopardize our standing and placement in the Kingdom of God. And in thus keeping our place and keeping our balance, he rejoices that we do in fact love God without seeing him, and believe in Jesus because we have seen him.
Blessed are you, Father; Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
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