“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” asks the man in today’s Gospel. Amidst all of our many earthly concerns—concerns about family, health, nation, and community—obtaining eternal life must be our ultimate aim. “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, if he loses his soul?”
In answer to the man’s profound question about obtaining eternal life, the Lord teaches the importance of following the commandments of God, while also stressing the need to surrender one’s entire life to God.
“Go, sell everything, and follow me”, means that everything we have is to be put at the feet of Jesus. If we hope to attain eternal life with God, our whole lives, our possessions and our relationships are to be oriented to God and placed in God’s service. All that I am and all that I have is to be offered to God.
Jesus himself models for us that total orientation we owe to God in his self-giving on the cross, his total self-offering to the Father. This passage challenges us to consider what it means for each of us to “go, sell everything, and follow him in order to more fully and deeply orient our lives to God in imitation of Christ.
On this Memorial Day, we also consider the honor we owe those who fought and died for our country’s freedom. Participating in Memorial Day festivities in no way detracts from the honor we owe to God, rather, remembering and honoring those who sacrificed something for you is a godly thing.
St. Thomas Aquinas said: "After God, man is chiefly indebted to his parents and to his country, and, therefore, just as religion must render worship to God, so, to a lesser degree, piety must pay honor to parents and to country."
So, love of country and honor of those who sacrificed their lives for our country’s highest ideals is a godly thing. We are the inheritors of the blessings of freedom, and we have a duty to live in a grateful manner for those blessings.
Over a million and a half servicemen and women fought and died in our wars and battles over the many years: a million and a half men and women who put service before self for the country they loved, for ideals which serve as the foundation of freedom, for a better and more secure future for their family, friends, and even total strangers.
We honor them by remembering them and honoring them with parades and civic exercises, yes, but most importantly utilizing those freedoms to grow in virtue, not to squander our freedoms on vain pursuits, but striving to develop our minds and characters to become worthy of their sacrifice: to raise our families, to educate our children, to be responsible in our duties toward God, family, and nation for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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Let us pray to our Heavenly Father, confident that He is generous to those who call upon Him with faith.
On this Memorial Day, we pray that our nation may live with ever-greater gratitude for the sacrifice of those who fought and died for our freedom. Let us pray to the Lord.
For our President and all government workers, may the Holy Spirit grant them wisdom and guide them to promote authentic and lasting peace in the world, respect for religious freedom, and a greater reverence for the sanctity of Human Life. Let us pray to the Lord.
For the protection of all those who serve in our nation’s military, and for all wounded servicemen and women, for all those widowed and orphaned because of war. Let us pray to the Lord.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our family, friends, and parish, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom, and for N… Let us pray to the Lord.
Gracious Father, hear the prayers of your pilgrim Church, grant us your grace and lead us to the glory of your kingdom, through Christ Our Lord.
