It’s election season, and I came
upon this story this week which I thought I’d share with you:
A powerful politician died after a long
illness, and his soul is whisked away to the gate of heaven, where he meets St.
Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to Heaven," says
St. Peter. "I have to tell you, we don’t see your type around these parts
very often. Here’s the deal – we'll have
you spend one day in Hell and one in Heaven. Then you can choose where you want
to spend eternity."
"Oh I’m sure I want to be in Heaven," says the politician.
"I'm sorry but we have our rules." And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and down, down, down he goes to Hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a beautiful green golf course. There’s a massive clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians he had worked with him. Everyone looks very happy in their formal evening attire. They run to greet him, hug him, and reminisce about all the good times they had while alive.
They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar. He meets the Devil, who turns out to be a charming guy with a quick wit. They are having such a good time that, before he realizes it, it’s time to go. Everyone gives him a big hug and waves while the elevator rises.
Up up up goes the elevator and the door reopens where St. Peter’s waiting for him.
"Now it's time to visit Heaven," says St. Peter.
So 24 hours pass with the politician joining a group of peaceful, contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing praises to God. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.
"Well now, you've spent a day in Hell and another in Heaven. Now you have to choose your eternity."
The politician thinks a minute, and then answers, "Well, I would never have said it, I mean Heaven has been delightful, but I think I’d be better off in Hell."
So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator back down down he goes down Hell. The doors of the elevator open and now he’s in the middle of a dark, barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed now in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. The Devil comes over to him and lays his arm on his back.
"I don't understand," stammers the politician. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf club and we ate lobster and caviar and danced and had a great time. Now all there is, is a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable.”
The Devil looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning...Today you voted for us!"
"Oh I’m sure I want to be in Heaven," says the politician.
"I'm sorry but we have our rules." And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and down, down, down he goes to Hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a beautiful green golf course. There’s a massive clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians he had worked with him. Everyone looks very happy in their formal evening attire. They run to greet him, hug him, and reminisce about all the good times they had while alive.
They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar. He meets the Devil, who turns out to be a charming guy with a quick wit. They are having such a good time that, before he realizes it, it’s time to go. Everyone gives him a big hug and waves while the elevator rises.
Up up up goes the elevator and the door reopens where St. Peter’s waiting for him.
"Now it's time to visit Heaven," says St. Peter.
So 24 hours pass with the politician joining a group of peaceful, contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing praises to God. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.
"Well now, you've spent a day in Hell and another in Heaven. Now you have to choose your eternity."
The politician thinks a minute, and then answers, "Well, I would never have said it, I mean Heaven has been delightful, but I think I’d be better off in Hell."
So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator back down down he goes down Hell. The doors of the elevator open and now he’s in the middle of a dark, barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed now in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. The Devil comes over to him and lays his arm on his back.
"I don't understand," stammers the politician. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf club and we ate lobster and caviar and danced and had a great time. Now all there is, is a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable.”
The Devil looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning...Today you voted for us!"
Now in the context of today’s
readings, this story has less to do with elections, and more to do with
choosing. For our readings today speak
of choosing – making wise choices. The
first reading speaks of wisdom, and wisdom is defined as discerning what
conforms to the will of God. And our
first reading tells us that wisdom is more valuable than power - scepter and
throne. Or worldly wealth - gold and
silver.
And in our Gospel, St. Mark presents
us with a real life example of wisdom – the story of a critical fork in the
road. The late Yankee great Yogi Berra
said, “when you come to the fork in the road, take it” but real wisdom is
knowing which way to go.
Our Lord Jesus looks on this rich
man who’s kneeling before him with love, and presents him the most important fork
in the road of his life. The very crux
of his life. Abandon your possessions,
give the money to the poor, and come follow me.
Or go away clinging to your stuff.
What are you gonna do?
Now to his credit, the rich man has come
to Jesus recognizing that something is missing in his life, that religiously following
the law, the “rules,” from his youth is not enough, that there must be
something more.
And also to his credit, the man is
asking the right question, the most important question – “how do I gain eternal
life” He recognizes that there has to be
more than this life, and he wants that, so how to get that? Even if he phrases the question all wrong – “What
must I do?” he asks.
Well we’re told how he chooses – he
doesn’t see the great love Jesus has for him.
He doesn’t recognize that eternal life isn’t something he must do to
earn, but a free gift this Jesus before Him wants to give to him. And he walks away sad, for he has many
possessions. As much as he recognizes
that something is seriously missing in his life, he can’t bring himself to part
from the possessions he holds dear.
Eternal life might be pretty good, but is the promise of that off in the
future worth giving up what I hold dear in the here and now?
Brothers and sisters, you and I are
faced with the same choice, at this moment and over and over again throughout
our lives. Do we trust in the love Jesus
has for us? Do we recognize that eternal
life begins now, in following Jesus with all our being, in loving Jesus with
all our hearts, or is it simply too much to risk what we hold dear?
With the rich man, it was his many
possessions that he couldn’t risk. But I
don’t think this Gospel is simply about giving up worldly possessions and
giving to the poor, vital as that is. After
all, we can assume the rich man, in following the law, was generous to the
poor.
Rather I think it’s about giving up,
becoming unattached to, whatever it is
that gets in the way of our following the Lord with all our mind, heart and
soul. Whatever keeps us from loving Him with
all our heart, mind and soul. Whatever
that may be that gets in the way, and I dare say it’s different things for
different people.
Might be good things, or not so good
things - habits, addictions or sins. Might
not even be a thing – could be a relationship, or ways of thinking, or beliefs.
The politician in the story found
the lure of power and luxury too attractive.
Maybe it’s prestige – being thought well of. Maybe it’s the big house, nice car, or the
big screen TV you think you could never part with. I saw this on facebook this week – “The devil
doesn’t come to you with his ugly, red face
and scary horns. He comes to you
disguised as everything you think you’ve ever wanted.”
Whatever you and I in our heart of
hearts, cling to and place ahead of our relationship with Our Blessed Lord is
what He’s talking about. For real wisdom tells us that He and He alone is the
only treasure of our lives, the only treasure worth our lives.
For some, that might mean exactly
the choice Jesus asked of the rich man in the Gospel – to give up everything to
follow Him. We have a wonderful example
right here (Fr. Morgan, Fr. Paul) – someone who has given up all to follow Him
and serve Him and His people. As the
year of consecrated life comes to a close, perhaps some here are likewise being
called to such a vocation, to such a witness of the power and love of Jesus
Christ in your life.
But even if our vocation isn’t as a
consecrated religious, as Christians we are called to a spiritual abandonment
of all that is not Christ – to have a heart that, as St. Paul wrote, counts all
as rubbish that is not Jesus Christ.
In living this vocation, we are
blessed to have the witness of all the saints and especially the Blessed Mother
of God, who completely surrendered her life to the will of the Father, and by
whose “yes” to the Father’s will we gained our Savior! In the witness of Mary’s life, we see the
real wisdom of God.
As we go forth, sisters and
brothers, it is our task, yours and mine, to reflect on what exactly in each of
our lives Our Lord is asking us to surrender – what exactly is it that is
keeping us from following Him unreservedly?
And to ask for His grace, His help in putting that aside, fully trusting
in His love, and in every decision of our lives, choosing Him who alone is our
real treasure.
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