The young man left sadly. He wanted to be perfect, but perhaps he wasn´t as determined to follow the one who is perfection itself. He wanted to have the certainty that he was very, very good. But he did not want to give anything up in exchange. The thing is not so much wanting to have and wanting to be, as wanting to follow and be for Christ and for others. And there is the rub, as Shakespeare said.

Do you want to be good just to be happy with yourself or to follow the paths of Christ? What kinds of riches would you have to give up, or what kinds of things or talents do you have that you could place at the service of others?