On the Back Porch
Reading, pondering and studying God’s Word is sometimes best done “on the back porch.” Each week we will try to offer something for you and your “back porch time.”
28th Sunday, Year B
What We Celebrate
“As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’” The man enthusiastically approaches Jesus. The man’s kneeling posture and the formal address together with the weighty character of his question—all suggest deep respect for Jesus and genuine earnestness on the part of the man himself. He came to consult Jesus as a distinguished rabbi and showed him the deference reserved for revered teachers of the Law. He asks “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” It is a rather odd question – if inheritance is a gift, then you need do nothing.
And that is just the start as this gospel text takes us through thoughts and questions about our own journey in life, the meaning of good, the demands of Love, the nature of the Kingdom of God – and, no so much what we are willing to do, but what holds us back? As John Cardinal Newman noted, “When good keeps you from the best, then the good becomes the enemy of the best.”
As always, a lot going on in the gospel reading. Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and take a moment on the back porch with the Word of God.
Full Text of the Sunday Readings
Detailed Commentary
Heinrich Hofmann | 1888 | Christ and the Rich Young Ruler | Brigham Young University Museum of Art | PD-US
What must I do
There are lots of videos out there that are more than happy to tell you what is necessary to inherit eternal life. The ones from traditional Christian Churches, while reflecting their own theological stance, all offer good insights – at least in part if not in whole. The video below offers the reminder that you have a partner in all that you do. The question then becomes do you rely, call upon, or willing accept assistance from your partner?