Another cross roads on the oad of life

As the summer fast approaches I find myself at another cossoad on this jouney called life. I am remind of a sermon so here it is...

Two people at the crossroads of their lives express the theme of this Sunday's gospel. One turned back and the other is still deciding. Who are they both?

The first person is the man of our gospel, A Good man,be it noted, and also, be it noted, expressly loved by Jesus. "Teacher" he said, "what must I do to gain everlasting life?" Although wealthy he had the insight that wealth was not the answer to life. Jesus presents him with a crossroads decision. If you really want everlasting life, Jesus challenges him, let go of your wealth, sell what you have be my disciple. Silence must have followed accompanied by much pondering and hesitation. For that man it was decision time at the crossroads of his life. There was no question of choosing between good and evil. The issue was choosing between the good and the better. Would he take the road less travelled? Quietly, he turned around and moved away. He had chosen. He simply said no.

The second person who expresses the theme of this Sunday's gospel is you and me. Like that first person we are for the most part good people but always, always always we stand at the crossroad waiting to be not merely good people but disciples. Many things beckon us: surrender, heroism, sacrifice, a deeper spirituality, making a difference. Sometimes the call is to a quiet witness. The modern mystic Caryll Houselander said, "Sometimes it may seem to us that there is no purpose to our lives. That going day after day to this office or that school or factory is nothing else but waste and weariness, but it may be that God has sent us there because, but for us Christ would not he there. If our being there means that Christ is there, that alone makes it worthwhile." Maybe we're called to that: to be ‘more’ Christ where we are.

How many times do we all stand at the crossroads? How many times does Jesus tell us he loves us...and then ask from us a bit more? All of us know, deep down, that almost daily we stand at the crossroads. True, we might say, we have the invitation of Jesus under consideration.