“Go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21).

I have heard the story of the Rich Young Man countless times. As a cradle Catholic, it is one of those Gospel passages that became familiar to me at an early age. For years, though, I mostly interpreted Jesus’ words in terms of material possessions.

The young man was wealthy. Jesus told him to sell what he owned. The lesson seemed straightforward: Don’t become too attached to your stuff.

There is truth to that interpretation. But the older I get, the more I realize Jesus’ invitation goes deeper. Christ asks the young man to surrender whatever prevents him from following God completely.

And that is a much more challenging request.

Continue reading →