The first reading and Responsorial Psalm today have a harsh tone, and it is understandable that our natural reaction would be to put them out of our minds. But what is the message here? When we think about our own past lives and the painful events we’ve endured—especially as a consequence of our addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments—what has been our typical reaction? For many of us, we’ve “justified” our need for comfort by turning to those very substances or toxic behaviors. Yet, as we see in today’s first reading, God strips Ezekiel of a very good blessing and “comfort”—his wife—to call attention to the fact that our ultimate good and comfort is God. Instead of turning to God, trusting in His providence and love, we’ve often sought solace elsewhere. “What a fickle race they are, sons with no loyalty in them!” (Responsorial Psalm) The Responsorial Psalm even goes as far as to say, “They have provoked me with their ‘no-god’ and angered me with their vain idols.” The readings today therefore invite us to soberly ask ourselves: What have we made into our vain idols that get in the way of God?

Today’s Gospel further emphasizes this point. The young man felt he had a pretty strong moral life but when he asked Jesus if that was enough, Jesus told him he must divest himself of his possessions. It’s not a stretch to believe that Jesus, knowing the heart of the young man, understood that the young man gave inordinate value to his material goods. The youth went away sad because he was too enamored with the things of this world. In the same way, when we remain tethered to our addictions, compulsions, or unhealthy attachments we remain “sad” and unable to experience the true freedom of joy that God wants for us. Let us then always seek to turn from our “vain idols” and trust in the one with the power to give us abundant life—Christ.

Reflection Questions

• When your life was beset by challenges and difficulties in the past, what vain comforts did you turn to? What do you turn to now?
• In what ways was your relationship to your addiction, compulsion, or unhealthy attachments a form of idolatry? How did it keep you “sad” like the young man in today’s Gospel reading and from experiencing God’s abundant life?

Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: Ezekiel 24:15-23
Responsorial Psalm: Deuteronomy 32:18-19, 20, 21
Gospel: Matthew 19:16-22

Reflection by Kay P.