Homily for Monday of the 8th Week in Ordinary Time

Sometimes when we ask a question, we find the answer isn't exactly what we had hoped for. This was the case for the rich man who asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” When Jesus instructed him to go beyond the traditional standards he had been following—specifically, to sell all that he owned and follow Him—the man could not accept this request and walked away sad.

While Jesus did not ask everyone to sell everything and journey with Him, He made this request of this particular young man. Like him, we may find ourselves called to do something that seems overwhelming. The temptation might be to walk away from such a calling, even though saying “yes” would be the better choice. Initially, we may feel unprepared for our calling. However, we must remember that “all things are possible for God.”