Jesus and the young man

this past Sunday, we listened once again to Jesus telling us what we must do, how we should change, if we want to follow the way. This is the path to salvation. This is the path of new life. We have been told that we will have to change, to give up our old ways and become reborn. The harsh words that Jesus uses instruct us to leave our family behind and renounce the ways of the world, lest we lose our souls.
  I can't help but think about those preachers and bible thumpers who insist that the bible be taken word for word. I recall listening to one of them on the radio late one night as he proclaimed that all Catholics are going to he'll because Catholicism has added books to the bible. I am not really sure how he had such information as to whether one bible was the better than the other. A fear and am filled with sorrow over people who, in the name of Jesus, condemn others.
   Someone recently has been trying to get an elderly relative of mine to go to confession. My relative is in the 90's and feels as if the woman is trying to ready her for death, and my relative is just not ready. I passed along the advice to go to reconciliation, when ready to go, but the other woman insisted I am wrong, and wants to 'speak with me.'
  In any odd these situations, I recall the story of Jesus and the young man who wishes to find salvation. The man tells Jesus that he already follows the law of Moses and his forefathers. Jesus then tells him to give up all his possessions and follow. The young man is saddened and leaves, unable to do so. He is not ready.
   That is where the story ends. Jesus is saddened that the man cannot, but the story does not say that Jesus ran after him and continued to pressure him to give up all he had. No, Jesus allowed the young man the time to find the way when he was ready. Jesus opened the door to the way, but did not force him in. And there is the problem. We can not force people to accept Jesus as their savior, lest we begin the crusades and inquisitions again. We can offer the words, the actions, the knowledge that will lead them to salvation, but salvation is a gift, and gifts can not be forced. Gifts need to be accepted. And Neil the person is ready to accept that gift, it remains wrapped.
   
Peace.