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WOF Radio > Sermons > Sermon Archive for 2012 > Sermon 614 : The Rich Young Man and the Hunger for Eternal Life : 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
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    Sermon 614 : The Rich Young Man and the Hunger for Eternal Life : 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    10/14/2012
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    In today's Gospel we hear the story of the rich young man who desires eternal life. We all have a hunger for God and goodness. Jesus teaches us that, in order to attain friendship with God we must be disciplined and must give up the things that keep us from satisfying our desire for God.
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Comments
Joan
Once again, I found myself thinking of this scripture and homily in my sleep. (how weird is that?) I am in awe by Jesus’ expression of both unconditional love in the given free will for this young man (so close and yet so far) and the temperance to not reach out and grab the back of his shirt and say wait, “is that not what you wanted to hear?”

It’s like the Priest who’ll give the feel-good homily instead of the real sometimes painful truth. Like Fr. has said, who do you finally worship? With the last couple week’s homilies and God creating everything good, I was thinking about how God created the animals, but breathed His life into us. That’s a pretty significant thing... created in His image.

I was just thinking that it only comes down to being about you for that moment when you finally see that He loved you first.

When you truly decide to walk away, and I mean from this world's way of life, you best have that relationship with Jesus Christ and know the Joy of Christ in the fullest depth of your soul because this world is more than just a terrible mess. It’s a war zone.

I still keep you in my prayers Father, you’re the best.
10/11/2012 7:30:18 AM
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Richard
Father Barron,
Thank you Thank you!!
A question about sermon 614 The Rich Young man.
Do you mean when you say 'sell everything and follow ME"
I should sell my Catholocism dvd's and my television, I should sell my home and live on the streets? I am not trying to be sarcastic, I ask you this only to understand your sermon. You and your work have given me much knowledge and joy,
Thank You
Peace be with you Father Barron
Richard
10/13/2012 4:48:35 PM
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monica
Dear Fr. Barron I was agnostic most of my life and to the bafflement of my family, in my 30's became Catholic in 2004.My Dad is a Psychiatrist,a scientific and cultured man,(I discovered he is actually baptized,confirmed & did 1st communion)He is very respectful with my Catholic practice and quite curious :) He asks me many questions and it is hard to speak to him at his level...(I see he was one of those under-catechised) Thanks to the Catholicism series I have been able to bring another perspective into his idea of religion. I find secular people, as I used to be, don't know that they don't know. I brought up the argument of uncaused cause and you should have seen my Dad's and my brother's face :). I'm still learning a lot. But this homily you gave is using the 2 lenguages: Secular and Biblical/Ecclesial, talks to the atheists. I think that is why for so many years I did not understand. I find most Catholics have a hard time talking to the secular world and they are misunderstood. I think YOU understand the secular world quite well. God bless.
10/14/2012 8:47:57 AM
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catherine
Father
I am.a Catholic and after studying Torah for about 6 years now I simply cannot justify how the church thinks Jesus is God. God is simply bigger than a mere person. The word Messiah means messenger. In that vain I do believe Jesus gives humanity a good message. All of it us in the Torah which was what Jesus was taught. It may be he was a Savior for gentiles but certainly not Jews. However by thinking he is God is idolatry at best. How do you justify worshipping a man.
10/14/2012 6:18:23 PM
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a disciple
Dear Father Barron, I'm a Catholic and I am convinced that our Lord Jesus Christ is the second person of the Holy Trinity, (maybe that's why the Jews of old called God Elohim); besides that, Jews like John the Evangelist, Paul of Tarsus, Simon Peter and every other of the true disciples of Christ, have written about Jesus as being our God; we find some proof of that in (John 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was with God in the beginning. (3) Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (4) In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (5) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Another important passage is: ( Philippians 2:5) In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; (7) rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (8)And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! (9) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. And for further proof, please read the whole New Testament, and the Old Testament.
10/14/2012 10:58:13 PM
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MaryS
Catherine: Have you not read that God said "Let us create man in our image"? Note the plural!!! We believe God is a Trinity of Persons. One God in 3 Persons. And Jesus is the Second Person of that Trinity, with 2 natures: fully human and fully Divine. This is the Son of God that was given to mankind to atone for our sins.


Sin offends. It offends in relation to the one offended. Let's say I accidentally spill coffee on a temp employee at work. That is bad enough. But if I spilled coffee on my boss or the CEO, that is much worse. No one would ever forget that offense!

When we sin, we offend God, who is infinte. So our offense is infinite, and the only way to fully atone for an infinite offense is to have an infinite Person repair that offense. That is waht Jesus does for us: He is the Lamb of God, sacrificed to atone for our sins.


To worship Jesus is to worship God: they are one.


The Torah was written for the Children of Israel when they were spiritual children. They needed to understand the One True God, and so God did not reveal the Trinity to them yet. They needed to rid themselves of the many gods they'd learned about in Egypt.

It wasn't until the Babylonian exilre that the Israelites truly understood that there is really only one God; that the pagan gods were not gods at all. That is when they were becoming mature enough, spiritually, to be ready for the Son of God, who revealed how He is One with the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from them: the Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father, and their love is the Spirit. The 3 are One.


This is a mystery (meaning that we can only barely understand it), but of course, God is so much more than our little minds can comprehend!

Studying the Torah is fine, as far as it goes. But there is much more to the inspired Word of God that you need to read if you want spiritual maturity. And I strongly recommend you use good Catholic resources. You will find that what the Catholic Church teaches is not contradictory to what is written in Sacred Scripture. Rather, the Church's teaching will help illuminate Scripture for you, so that you may better understand all that God has revealed. Pray that God will assist you in opening your heart to the fullness of His Truth. He will, if you let Him.

I'll be praying for you.
10/14/2012 11:59:07 PM
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said_she
@Catherine: "after studying Torah... I simply cannot justify how the church thinks Jesus is God."

Do you realize what you've said?? "After reading the first couple of chapters, I don't see how you can end the book that way."

Please read and study the New Testament. You will see that Jesus truly is the Christ - the promised messiah - the Son of God, who fulfills all of the Old Testament prophecies.

Here is a wonderful free resource for online Bible study, so you can learn the whole story of salvation, not just the first few chapters:

http://www.salvationhistory.com

May the Holy Spirit guide you on this most important journey!
10/15/2012 10:40:16 AM
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TO: Catherine
STAY WITH US
10/15/2012 1:40:40 PM
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Jane
In this sermon, Rich Man 614; why does Jesus NOT mention commandments 1-3 pertaining to God. Why does Jesus say, "Why do you call me good?"
10/15/2012 9:23:48 PM
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d.a.g.
To Richard,

You may want to check out these links to help you further understand this sermon :

http://www.wordonfire.org/WoF-Blog/WoF-Blog/October-2012/Spirituality-Wisdom-Revelation-and-The-Rich-Young-.aspx

http://www.wordonfire.org/WoF-Blog/WoF-Blog/October-2012/Spirituality-Heather-King-on-True-North-.aspx
10/16/2012 6:36:18 AM
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vito benigno
MY Dear Sister Catherine,JESUS the logos the second person of the HOLY TRINITY is the very mind of GOD.God has in fact touched down on earth that most Holy night our SAVIOR was born.JESUS the SON of the living God is the full consummation of both the law in the torah and all prophecy is fulfilled through JESUS the CHRIST.JESUS himself a JEW comes from the line of david.The pillars of the Church both st.peter and st.paul also jewish.This same young Nazarene who cured the sick,raised the dead,controlled the seas and storms shed his Precious blood for all of humanity to be saved.I have many jewish friends and Rabbis.Faith is a great gift from God.It is a Grace we can not earn or obligate God to give it to us.It is freely given from above.You are in my prayers.SHALOM MI IMMACULATA
10/16/2012 7:54:15 AM
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said_she
@Jane: Jesus says: "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone." The rich man knew that Jesus was good. Jesus tells him only God is good. Therefore, Jesus is declaring His divinity. This may be why He skipped over the first tablet commandments. Not that they aren't important, but that the lesson He needed to teach this man was about love of neighbor. "You are lacking in one thing. "Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor..."
10/16/2012 10:58:52 AM
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Jane
@said she Thanks for the explanation of Jesus' Divinity. I see that 100%. Did the rich young man break the first commandment to love God above all things and not have strange gods before Him? Seems the young man loved his wealth/riches more than God. Thanks for explanation said_she.
10/16/2012 12:02:05 PM
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minnnnnnnnnnnow
Fr barron your excellent. Godblesses you! Thank you!!!!!
10/28/2012 12:27:43 AM
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