Let Go and Let God

10-13-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

Let Go and Let God. The first reading from the Wisdom of Solomon, written a century before our Lord's birth, speaks in Solomon's voice. The Lord tells the young Solomon to ask for anything he wants. Without any hesitation, he chooses WISDOM. (2 Chr. 1:10)

He must be referring to this text when he says, I prayed, and prudence was given me I pleaded, and the spirit of WISDOM came to me. Divine Wisdom is more valuable than anything else: Than gold, precious stones, health, beauty, power, and prestige. In comparison to Divine Wisdom, all these are worthless.

The young man in the Gospel turns to Jesus for WISDOM: Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? From what the man says, we see enough knowledge to know what makes the fullness of life in the Jewish standard. He seeks the wisdom of how to attain the highest good. Jesus makes him realize there is more to achieving his goal than merely desiring it. There is a price to pay to achieve the highest good, keep the commandments, and make the radical choice of God. Did we not hear two Sundays ago the Gospel saying: If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. We must learn to LET GO of the lesser goods to attain the highest good.

The young man is right in seeking the wisdom of Jesus about eternal life and not from the Pharisees. He sincerely seeks wisdom: from Wisdom Himself, the Word made Flesh. The sad part of the story is when he receives the wisdom: Go, sell what you have and give to the POOR then come, follow me. The man did not put it into practice. He could not LET GO of his riches and LET GOD be his life. Like a two-edged sword, the words of Jesus pierce into his heart. Jesus intends to remove his harmful attachments to wealth. There are moments when God asks for our consent to intervene and cut away what is wrong, bad, and evil in us.

In the spiritual life, the challenge is to allow the WORDS of the Lord to act like a two-edged sword to expose and cut away any hidden sins and things that make us spiritually sick. Praying The Our Father is consenting to spiritual pruning: Thy Will be done! When we read the Scriptures, His WORDS pierce, cut, expose, and challenge us. How often have we heard people complaining: Why is God not treating us with more love? If we are serious about our spiritual life, we must consecrate ourselves to God, be a blessing to others, and have a humble disposition to follow His Holy Will. LET GO and LET GOD.

October is the month of the Holy Rosary. Let us pray the Rosary in our homes; pray it with our family or individually with devotion and love. Pray slowly and meditatively. Pray with the heart and not just with our mouth. When we pray with a heart, the ROSARY becomes beautiful and meaningful. And if you find no reason to pray the Rosary, pray it because it pleases God.