A reading from the gospel according to Matthew 19:16-22
16 A young man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”
17 He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18 He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied,
“You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
19 honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
20 The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Reflection: What good deed must I do to have eternal life?

Good News: You will have treasure in heaven.

Everyone wants to have treasure. Who does not like money and other possessions? We need money to survive. The problem is the negative effects of having lots of money.

Saint Paul says that the root of all evil is the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10). Money by itself is not bad. It is evil only when it becomes our main focus or obsession so much so that God is set aside in our life. Indeed, some people are changed by money and other earthly treasures. As they become richer, they become greedier, more arrogant, and pleasure-seeking. They can even forget they have children in the house! Money therefore allowed them to forget God. It has in fact become their god. That is why Jesus says, “You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)

The man who approached Jesus in the gospel passage above should have been a hero. He is young and already rich. Maybe he is also tall and good-looking. All the women in his town must be dreaming to have him as a husband. Yet he felt something is missing though he thought he followed all the commandments. Isn’t this typical among the rich? Something is lacking!

Jesus provides us the answer to fill in what is lacking: detachment from worldly things, service to the needy and refocusing our life to what is eternal.

We must congratulate the rich young man for asking the right question: What must I do to gain eternal life? Unfortunately, he was not ready to accept the answer and the reason why is because he was a lover of money. So he goes home sad.

Jesus is inviting us to invest in the kind of treasure that truly gives us happiness that lasts. He is also calling us to follow Him because He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). In this way, we gain treasure in heaven.

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In this Gospel narrative, we encounter the story of the rich young ruler who approached Jesus with a sincere question: “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” His desire was noble — he longed to inherit eternal life, to secure a place in the kingdom of God. Yet, as the conversation unfolded, we see that the young man was unaware of the depth of the challenge before him.

Jesus, recognizing his heart, began by pointing him to the commandments. The young man was quick to assert that he had kept all these from his youth. But Jesus, with divine wisdom, looked into his heart and saw what was holding him back. “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” This invitation was both simple and profound, an opportunity to exchange earthly wealth for heavenly treasure.

The young man’s response is telling. He walked away sorrowful, for he had great wealth. This moment captures a powerful truth about discipleship and the kingdom of God. It is not merely about adhering to rules or checking off boxes of good deeds. It’s about the total surrender of our hearts to God, allowing Him to be the ultimate treasure in our lives.

The young ruler’s wealth was not the issue, it was his attachment to it. Jesus’ challenge was an invitation to freedom, to unburden himself from the chains of materialism and find true wealth in a relationship with God. But the young man couldn’t let go. His identity and security were wrapped up in his possessions.

This passage invites us to reflect on our own lives. What are we holding onto that hinders us from fully following Christ? It may not be wealth; it could be a career, a relationship, or even our own comfort and safety. Jesus calls us to let go of anything that competes for the throne of our hearts.

True discipleship requires us to trust in God’s provision and promises. When we release our grip on the temporal, we open our hands to receive the eternal. Jesus is inviting each of us to take up our cross, to follow Him with undivided hearts, and to discover the abundant life that is found in Him alone.

Matthew 19:16-22 Questions for Discussion or Meditation
1. What good must we do to gain eternal life? Do we really need to do something?
2. Isn’t faith enough to gain eternal life?
3. What hinders you from truly following Jesus?
4. Did you do something for the poor?
5. Do feel empty inside?

RELATED: Matthew 6:19-23 Reflection on Treasure and the Eye