Choices and Jesus' Promise

Vocational Choice:  “…[N]o one [in any walk of life],” Jesus says, “who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel ….will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and brothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”

The pain involved in leaving that which is dear to us or which is difficult to set aside as we follow the Spirit’s lead or when we choose the vocation in life to which God is inviting us—marriage, religious life, priesthood, the single lifestyle—is richly compensated for by our loving God.  Jesus says that we will receive “hundred times more now in this present age…and eternal life in the age to come.”  There is never a time when we sacrifice for God in choosing that vocation to which we feel called or when we sacrifice for another in living life fully according to the Gospel and what Christian charity requires of us  that the “pay” is  not “a hundred times more” than we ever imagined.

What, today, am I willing to do to follow the Spirit’s lead be that in choosing a vocation in life or in making less weighty decisions to live life fully?

Accepting One's Vocation in Life

In today’s Gospel, Mark 10: 28-31, Peter complains to the Lord:  “We have given up everything and followed you.” Jesus responds: “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”

In answering the call to leave “houses and brothers and sisters and mothers [and fathers] and children and lands” is certainly a challenging demand. No one escapes this call to leave, though some, both parents and children, put a lot of effort into avoiding this leave-taking.  Parents or grandparents might want to cling to their children, not letting them go or not letting them grow up. Children, also, may refuse to grow up and leave “the nest” so to speak. 

Let us go to Mary and Jesus. Both model accepting God’s call. Mary says “yes” to the angel:  “Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord. Be it done to me according to God’s will.”  Every man or woman belongs to the Lord, is God’s son or daughter and has been sent here to carry out a specific mission within marriage, religious life, priesthood or the single life. Each child is temporarily loaned to his/her parents until such time as leaving “houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and…lands” to carry out that mission.  Jesus leaves heaven and comes to earth to take on human nature, submits himself to Mary and Joseph for a time, and then also leaves Mary to take up the mission for which He was sent to earth: to give His life for His flock.  Neither Jesus nor Mary escaped the sufferings involved in carrying out the will of the Father for the sake of the salvation of humankind, so you and I would inherit eternal life.

What do you need to do to be ready to leave “houses and brothers and sisters and mothers [and fathers] and children and lands” to take up your role and responsibilities as an adult?