“WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?” (Mark 10:17)

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ God,

Christ is in our midst! He was, is, and ever shall be.

"WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?"

"Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt
before Him, and asked Him, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do that
I may inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17)

To which, Jesus replies, "You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother." And he answered and said to Him, ‘Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.’ Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me" (Mark 10:19-21).

The question asked of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the ‘man’ in the gospel, "What must I do to inherit eternal life" is a question that echoes throughout the centuries among believing Christians. This well-mannered man in the gospel approaches Our Lord Christ, respectfully, but as a mere human, another rabbi, not knowing that He is the anticipated Messiah. The Theanthropos, and Creator, treat him gently, patiently, and lovingly. As the Kardiognostis, the one who knows the hearts of men, Christ our Savior, who knows everything about him, as He does about each, and every one of us.. For the Lord Christ, no man is a mystery. For, "there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13). Nothing, and no one, can escape the discernment of our Savior Jesus Christ, the Logos/Word of God. God knows our vulnerabilities, and weaknesses, and desires to remedy them by exposing them to the Light.

There are all kinds of illnesses, both physical and spiritual, that man struggles with throughout his lifetime. Jesus shows the young rich man how he was suffering from one of the most horrible passions, the love of money. For him it was his great wealth, for another it could be power, and for others, it may be pride or greed, lust, anger gluttony, envy, sloth (laziness). Our human passions obscure the Divine Light and instead bring us darkness and gloom. The only One Who is able to dispel darkness and to restore the light, is the Lord, Who Is the Light of the world, Christ God. Repentance begins when the sinner acknowledges and confesses openly his transgression. Saint Symeon the New Theologian emphasizes that "God in His loving goodness receives and loves those who repent." Saint Basil the Great states: "The Father stands and waits for your return from delusion. You only have to return, and while you are yet far off, He will run to you, fall on your neck and embrace and kiss you lovingly, now that your soul is already cleansed by repentance. And He shall clothe the soul, with the first robe…He shall place a ring on his hands… and shoes on the feet that have returned from the evil road to the way of the Gospel of peace. He shall announce a day of delight and joy to those who are His own, Angels and men, and will celebrate your salvation in every possible way" (Letter to a Fallen Virgin, p, 46:6).

Our loving God waits for us to return home. And even when one of us "is still a great way off," our heavenly Father sees us, has compassion on us, and rejoices over our return. "But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly…Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke21:34-36).

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostom

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George