Aiming high

"Teacher, what must I do to gain eternal life?"



The young man in the Gospel reading of Matthew had led what he thought was a "good" life. Jesus' reply to him is that there is only "One who is good." God! If one wishes to enter into eternal life (heaven), one must keep the Commandments.


This he says he does. But Jesus, who sees what is in our hearts, knew that even though the young man kept the Commandments he was lacking, because the most important things in his life were his possessions, not God or His law. He left Jesus rather than follow "the way, the truth and the life."


Personally I’m not prepared to sell everything I own and give it away. This would present a large number of practical problems, such as feeding, clothing and educating my family. I doubt that Jesus would view it as morally desirable to put the life and well being of my family at risk.


So how to best look at this Gospel? There’s clearly an important distinction that Jesus is drawing. We all have “negative” and “positive” duties. The negative duties, such as not to kill or commit adultery, are the easiest to discern and allow for the drawing of clear lines. I think that Jesus was really speaking to the well-to-do of His time, many of whom were living in relative comfort and with the contentment that they’d managed to live their lives without killing or committing adultery. I can almost feel the smug superiority of them as they’d pass by the prostitutes and beggars thinking that they were surely headed to Heaven and the prostitutes and beggars were headed to Hell.


But Jesus’ message is that things are far from being that simple, because we have “positive” duties too; most especially to have compassion for those who weren’t born into circumstances as comfortable—or for those who have fallen on hard times. It’s not good enough to pass by the less fortunate without lending a helping hand and feeling compassion. In fact, it’s probably less forgivable than those who violate the negative duties. Who on Judgment Day will be viewed as worse? The beggars and prostitutes who were trying to feed their families the only way they knew how or the rich who walked by them and sneered in contempt and did nothing to help? We know the answer Jesus gave because of His words how He spent his earthly time. Let’s all learn from His example.


I have been getting pretty complacent lately in my “positive” duties as a Eucharistic Minister. This is not to say I regret doing it, just that I had let it almost get routine. I’m pretty sure that one of the patients at the hospital today was a “plant” by the Holy Spirit to get me back on track and to remind me why I felt the call to be in pastoral care in the first place.


When I walked in the room, the old man was asleep. His daughter was staring out the window. I asked her, “Do you think he’ll want to wake up to partake of Holy Communion?” She replied, “I don’t know. I’ve just tried for 15 minutes to wake him to see if he’ll eat the lunch that was brought in, but I can’t rouse him.” But she tried again. This time, his eyes opened and I could see him zero in the cross I wear when visiting the hospital. She asked him something in a language that sounded similar to Spanish if he wanted the Eucharist. He couldn’t raise his bed to a sitting position fast enough! And he showed the biggest smile I’ve seen yet on a patient in a hospital! He thrust out his hand for mine, so I shook it. He would not let go, but kept talking a mile a minute in what his daughter said is Portugese and he was smiling the whole time, giving me a look as though he knew me.

He was jabbering non-stop (still holding onto my hand), then he laughed, and said, “no compriende, eh?” This I could interpret for myself. I replied (I hope) in his own language that no, I didn’t understand what he was saying. This made him laugh even harder, but did it stop his talking? No way! He went on for another 5 minutes! The funny thing is, what he was saying was almost melodious—it was beautiful! His daughter said he composes poems of prayer to Our Lady and her Son as a pastime. I had just been treated to an extemporaneous creation of one. Even though I couldn’t understand the words, somehow I know Mary and Jesus were pleased. It reminded me of Our Lady in Sunday’s gospel reciting the Maginificat!


We began the “communion service” and he became somber and reverent. When we got to the Lord’s Prayer, he spoke clearly and confidently. Up until then, and after the service, it was more of a mumble.


When we concluded the service, his daughter told me that he loved talking for hours about God, Jesus and Mary to anyone who would listen. I told her I felt the same way, but it would be easier if we both spoke the same languages! I turned to leave the room, and the old man pointed at my cross and said something. I asked his daughter what he was saying. She said he wanted to look at the cross I have around my neck and kiss it, if I would allow it. He asked if Christ was on the cross. I explained that the image of Christ is not on this cross, because it was designed to identify me as a Eucharistic minister, not as a priest or deacon. I offered to let him kiss the crucifix that is on my rosary that I carry in my pocket at all times, but instead he pulled me close and kissed my EM cross while I was still wearing it! Then he gave me a blessing! His daughter was interpreting as best she could, but she said she does not speak the language very well herself—just enough to get by with her Dad. She said his message, however, was clear. He was thanking me for (his words) “visiting all the poor sick people in the hospital who need Christ to help them.” I almost cried. I told him that’s why I do what I do. I don’t only bring Christ in the Eucharist to comfort the sick, I am also looking for Christ in the people I meet. Today, I met Him. And I thank Him for reminding me what I must do to gain eternal life.