Reflection on the Rich Young Man
St. Matthew 19:16-26
Prologue
What would you give to inherit eternal life? Because we are here together right now, I know that you are at least willing to give up the best two hours of the week for worship on Sunday morning. But if that is all you are willing to do, I’m afraid it won’t be enough.
The way to the Kingdom of God is like a cool, flowing river on a terribly hot day. There is within us the desire, because the day has been so long and hot, to just sit down by the stream, rest, and soak our feet. Oh the relief such a cool soaking brings to hot, tired limbs! But the River of Life that is The Way, the flow that is Holy Orthodoxy, is made for more than providing an hour or two of rest. If we immerse ourselves in that water and then give ourselves up to its current, it will flow us safely through dangerous places all the way through to the land of eternal blessedness. We forsake our inheritance when we forsake The Way, when we simply dip our feet into the [Living] Water.
On Gratitude
This week, we heard the news of some young men on a train who risked their lives to subdue a terrorist who was armed with an AK-47, a pistol, and knives. He was about to massacre the people on that train, but these men stopped them. Our heart’s swelling with pride at these actions and thankfulness that there are still heroes in this fallen world. But while we were thankful, can you imagine the depth of the gratitude that the passengers on that train felt? Those men risked their lives so that they might live. And this is how it should be.
There is a natural gratitude that comes when someone saves your life. This gratitude increases when that person makes sacrifices so that it might happen; i.e. when they give something up, when they risk their well-being, or even give up their very lives for you and for your freedom.
The Righteous Instinct of Honor and Remembrance
Isn’t this why we continue to honor soldiers and thankfully memorialize our fallen war dead?
We have places and rituals that solemnize that honor and grateful remembrance, and we feel shame and anger when people desecrate those places and rituals. And rightfully so. So many people have sacrificed their lives and livelihoods so that we might be free; it is only meet and right that we honor them. When we visit those places and participate in those rituals, we don’t just show our gratitude, we claim our membership in the nation they died and sacrificed to serve and protect.
Orthodox Ritual as Thanksgiving
This, at the very least, is what we do here in Church. Jesus Christ emptied himself and became man – giving up the glory and majesty that are His by right – and then suffered and died to save our lives and give us a future free of pain, sickness, and sorrow. He suffered torture and death so that the nation of Christ – that is to say all of humanity – might have freedom from every kind of death and disease.
And for this we are grateful. We have places and rituals that solemnize this gratitude [and even allow us to take part in the freedom Christ Himself suffered and died to offer us].
We are also grateful for all those humble soldiers of this Prince of Peace who, in imitation of Him, emptied and sacrificed themselves for the truth of the Gospel and the preservation of the nation dedicated to that Gospel and to its proclamation. We solemnize this gratitude with places dedicated to their lives and feasts dedicated to their memory (as for example, this Friday when we celebrate the Falling Asleep of the greatest of our saints, Mary the Birthgiver of God). And yes, we feel shame and righteous indignation when people desecrate these places and feasts.
On the other hand, we feel such solemn joy when people join us in visiting sacred places and participating in sacred rituals. Through these actions, through these good works, we are both showing our gratitude and claiming our membership in the new nation our Savior died to create and the saints suffered to protect.
Concluding Prayer
It is natural and right that we be grateful when someone sacrifices for us. O Lord Jesus Christ, we are grateful for your sacrifice on the cross. We will not imitate the rich young man and spurn the gift of salvation and eternal life you have wrought for us. Instead, we, in imitation of you and all your saints, empty ourselves of all our riches of time, treasure, and talent and readily offer them in thanksgiving to You, together with your Father who is without beginning, and your all-Holy and live-giving Spirit. Amen.
