Depending on the day, hour, and amount of coffee we have—we’re all subject to forgetting things and even people. But as we know, there are different levels. For instance, getting out of your car without your umbrella, forgetting where you put your keys, or being unable to recall an elementary classmate's name when you run into them at the coffee shop!
Then there are the bigger items, like remembering your husband or wife’s or other loved ones' birthdays or your wedding anniversary. These situations have something in common—distraction and a focus on something (or someone) else.
What Not to Forget
In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus is trying to help the young man (and each of us) understand the danger of distraction. The young man has kept the Commandments but is distracted by his possessions. We recited four times in the Responsorial Psalm: “You have forgotten God who gave you birth.” Again, we do this in different ways to different degrees.
It’s one thing to get up, head out the door, and get caught up in your day without making a morning offering or simply thanking God for the day. It’s another to block out God when we’re faced with temptation intentionally and to go in another direction that leads to sin.
What Causes Us to Remember
What’s interesting and helpful is to pray and reflect on why we sometimes forget things, people, and even God and what causes us to remember. Sometimes, we get behind, overwhelmed, and forget, but when we have a moment of quiet, a slowing down of the pace, or someone who triggers our memory, we suddenly recall something or someone.
Jesus is always trying to help us stay on track — to not get anxious or lazy, to keep our lives balanced in what is reasonable by understanding what really matters in this life, and this will lead to eternal life.
The young man in Matthew’s Gospel helps us remember a question that we all should keep in mind:
What do we need to do to have eternal life?
Jesus is the One we can and should go to every day to find the answers and remember what it means to be a child of God who is loved and made to love in God’s Name—beginning at home and going outward.
- Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and Rosary) at the 30-minute mark on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
