Why Do You Call Me Good?

 

No one is good but God alone.

Reflection on Today's Readings, 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, Oct. 13th, 2024
Texts: Wisdom 7:7-11; Psalm 90; Hebrews 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30

Can we reflect on this word of Jesus: “Why do you call me good?” That is His response to the man who called him “good teacher”. We call him good too. Why do we call Him good? Perhaps, He has kept us alive today! Then what will happen when death comes, will He still be good? Is He good because He heals us? What happens when we are sick! Is He good because we have something to eat and drink now? What happens when we have nothing to eat or drink! Will He still be good? 

Is He good because we have money to spend now? What happens when there is no money! Will He still be good? Have we ever called Jesus good when things do not turn our ways? Has our faith grown to that level? Hear the exhortation of a man, St. Paul, whose faith has grown to that level. He says, "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thes. 5:18).

Are these not enough to call a man or woman good?

The man would have called Jesus good because of His deeds. He healed, cast out evil spirit without charge; His teaching was impactful; He lived what He taught; He gave the hungry food without charge; He consoled the grieved by raising the dead; He was compassionate to sinner; He was a friend to all; He lived above sin; He deferred to no one when he was to speak the truth; He was just; etc. Are these not enough to call a man or woman good?

Jesus did not actually expect answer from the man. He immediately said, “No one is good but God alone.” The answer to the question is in there: Jesus is good because He is God. Jesus Christ makes us recognize that all He did could have not happened if God was not acting in Him. Hence, no man can be good if God is not acting in him. Good deed is God's doing. Jesus makes this clear by saying, "No one is good but God alone". If I do anything good good it is because God acts in me. 

We once knew Christ from a human point of view

Jesus Christ questioned the man because he saw Him as a man only and did not see Him as God. The man did not see God acting in Jesus Christ. Some of us are like the man. Some of us were once like Him. In the words of St. Paul: "From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we no longer know him in that way" (2Cor. 5:6

We will no longer see Jesus Christ from human point of view, if we love Him above all things. He is the wisdom that the Wise speaks of in today's first reading. We are to prefer Him to sceptres, thrones, wealth, any priceless gem, health, beauty, light, and even life. 

Loving Jesus above all things is rewarding 

The Wise tells us that loving Jesus above all things is rewarding because all good things come along with Him. Jesus Christ affirms it in His words thus: "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life."

Keeping the commandments of God is not complete without loving Him above all things. The problem of the rich man is that he loves riches more than God and as such could not walk the path of eternal life. Hence, Jesus Christ said, "How hard it will be for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!" Loving Jesus Christ above all things is the proof of our recognition of Him as God.

Prayer 

May your grace, O Lord, we pray, at all times go before us and follow after and make us always determined to carry out good works and love you above all things. Amen 

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke