Matthew 19: 16-22
Then a young man came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; what do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
The Trust to Surrender
In today’s Gospel, there is a powerful invitation to surrender. A young man asks Jesus, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus gives him an answer, telling him to sell his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow him. Easy, right?
How often do we ask God a question, hoping for a particular answer, only to become disappointed when his response is different from what we wanted to hear? Surrendering to God and trusting that he knows what is best for us can be challenging.
St. Ignatius captures the heart of true surrender in the Suscipe: “Take, Lord, receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will.” I am on a lifelong journey toward that kind of surrender. I am not where I would like to be, but I am deeply grateful for the journey and for the many ways God continues to teach me to trust him.
During your prayer time today, I invite you to reflect upon the following questions: What is God asking me to surrender? And am I willing to trust him with it?
—Edith Hudson is a graduate of the Midwest Jesuit's Seminars in Ignatian Formation program, a spiritual director, and the police chief of Marquette University’s Police Department.
Prayer
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.
—Suscipe prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola