The Eleventh Commandment: Reflections of a Roman Catholic Woman Priest

Is it enough to adhere to the Ten Commandments? Is that all that is required to live a life of virtue and goodness? In saying “all that is required” I am aware that that “ALL” is a lot right there. And not many people can say they do follow the letter and spirit of the Law given to Moses and to all who seek to love God, the Supreme Being and Creator of the Universe.

Today’s Gospel (Mark 10: 17-27) tells us about a person who does follow the Commandments, and who inquires of Jesus about gaining eternal life as well. What follows is an important response of Jesus as this event appears in all three synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke). Some (most) Biblical translations call the one who inquires of Jesus a man (NAB), an important man-a rich ruler (Christian Community Bible) (Also Matthew 19:16 and Luke 18:18) or a young man (NIV; CCB). The King James Version (KJV) simply says “one” ran up to him and asked and The Inclusive Bible (TIB) version says “someone came running up ” and “a person” inquires of Jesus. Given the latter two it is possible that it was a woman who ran up to and inquired of Jesus though given the mores of the times it was probably a man. The important fact is that someone asked Jesus a very important question. A question that we ponder deep in our souls-the essence being- “Am I on the right track?” How do I please God? And how do I inherit eternal life?”

“As he was setting out on a journey, someone came running up and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to share in everlasting life?” (Mark 10;17 TIB). Jesus responded by citing several of the ten commandments. The person assured Jesus that he(or she) kept the commandments.

Then a wonderful thing happens “Then Jesus looks on the person with love and said “There is one more thing that you must do. Go and sell what you have and give it to those in need”; (to the poor in most other versions) “you will then have treasure in heaven. After that, come and follow me”.

I want to emphasize that Jesus’ response was to love this earnest seeker who tried hard to keep the Commandments. I hope the inquirer felt that great love as Jesus looked at and spoke to him or her. What a gift to be looked upon with love by Jesus for our fumbling inquiries-for our seeking. Clearly Jesus welcomed this good person’s seeking however off the mark it may have been. Jesus looked on the person with love. And he instructed the person how to love others to usher in God’s kingdom-kin-dom on earth and forever. Share your “wealth” with the poor. Yet, we often rush to the next sentence: ” At these words the inquirer who owned much property, became crestfallen and went away sadly.”

SO, wait, don’t go away! Indeed it is difficult for us to share and give away our “riches” to those in need, to the poor. Instead many of our ideologies blame the poor and focus on giving the very least possible to meet religious expectations of “charity”. Yet, charity is CARITAS, which is love. And Jesus said give it all away- not give the least you can, or of your surplus. Jesus clearly challenges us to do something about the poverty that is all around us- and to me that is the ELEVENTH COMMANDMENT! . Do not make it metaphorical, help people who are struggling with material and other poverty directly and fully. There are many ways to do this through bonafide charities if one is not in actual community with the poor-but only doing it in the spirit of love meets what Jesus is asking us to do. Give yourself away…and give the poor amongst us more than enough to live on and flourish on-so they are poor no more. Indeed make community with people who do not have enough to live on, or who have just enough to get by. Let us find ways to make community with the poor. Then we are rich indeed.

Yes, the point is that we must actually share our wealth of all sorts with those in need and make sure the poor are poor no more as we do our parts in relieving this poverty- both material and otherwise. The world is complex and sharing our money and material goods as individuals will not change the class and caste systems that societies are made up of. Yet, if all who seek to follow Jesus actually do this, the worlds around them would change dramatically. And someone will eat who is hungry, and be properly clothed when seeking a job, having the confidence that comes from looking okay, and someone homeless will be housed and indeed help the next one to climb out of poverty. That has been our wonderful experience with our Good Shepherd Ministries here in Fort Myers. We are given SO much more than we give and all can become givers.

We can not close our eyes and ears to world poverty and poverty in our own communities. Instead we can learn to open them to understand the lives of those who “have not” as much as those who do have material goods. Indeed we will learn how true riches comes only through sharing all that we have with others. Yes, Jesus said that “it is hard for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23).

Yet, when the disciples were perplexed and astonished by this Jesus assured them that “with God all things are possible”. (Mark 10:27). This is the good news not only for the richest among us who may not initially see or respond to the poverty of those who have little or nothing of this world’s goods. It is good news for all of us who may tend to put our own selfish needs before the needs of the “kingdom”-the KIN-DOM of God. In these passages Jesus is defining God’s reign , God’s kin-dom as one of equality and enough for all. Let us then do our best to make sure no one is hungry or homeless-let us make community together and that community is the essence of the kingdom-kin-dom of God here on earth and in the life to come. Indeed Jesus promises that he is sent to us because of God’s great love and “whoever believes in him shall have everlasting life!’ (John 3:16). We see here that believing means doing what Jesus shows us and asks us to do: to respond to his love by making sure everyone has enough to eat, and can live abundantly-thereby ushering in the kingdom-kin-dom of God.

Yes, indeed “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” even as WE work at making sure no one is poor and in need of food and shelter as long as we can help it.

Blessings to each and all of you as you try to follow Jesus,

Rev. Dr. Judy Lee, RCWP, Good Shepherd Ministries of SW Florida

May 27,2004