Sunday, October 13, 2024 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ! 

We often visit our doctors for regular checkups, to maintain our health, or to seek healing after an ill-ness. However, many of us struggle to follow their instructions for various reasons. Fear of financial costs, anxiety about painful treatments, and concerns over medication side effects can all create barriers for us to compliance. Additionally, our busy lifestyles, pressing responsibilities, and competing priori-ties often push medical advice to the backburner. Some may even disregard instructions when we feel asymptomatic or not seriously ill. Unfortunately, failing to follow a doctor’s guidelines can result in many patients experiencing worsening health conditions and complications. When illnesses progress quickly without proper management, it can become too late to effectively address the consequences of our choices. Prioritizing personal wealth or social status over essential medical advice may hinder our ability to take our health seriously, ultimately compromising our chances for effective treatment and long-term well-being. 

In today’s Gospel reading, the man approaches Jesus seeking reassurance about his spiritual well-being. He believes that his adherence to God’s commandments is sufficient for entry into heaven. However, he is taken aback when Jesus instructs him to sell all his possessions and give to the poor. Faced with the prospect of financial instability, the anxiety of an uncertain journey, and the fear of liv-ing without his material comforts, the man hesitates. Ultimately, he turns away from Jesus, clinging to his many possessions and the security they provide. He chooses to ignore Jesus’ call, preferring the fa-miliarity of his comfortable life over the challenge of transformation. 

My brothers and sisters in Christ, 

God continually invites us to deepen our faith through the sacraments of the Church, to put our beliefs into action, and to share our faith with others. He calls us to set aside everything and follow Him, re-minding us that we cannot serve two masters (Mt 6:24) and that we must love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind (Lk 10:27). In light of this, we should reflect on whether we are truly follow-ing Jesus and His guidance or, like the man in the Gospel, turning away and missing the chance to in-herit eternal life. It’s essential to ask ourselves if we are in our daily life making wise choices that align with God’s will, for “all things are possible for God” (Mk 10:30). 

Sincerely yours in Jesus Christ and Our Lady of La Vang! 

Reverend Kiet Anh Ta.