MARY, OUR MOTHER

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #374

And behold one came and said to him: "Good master, what good shall I do that I may have life everlasting?" Who said to him: "Why askest thou me concerning good? One is good, God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to him: "Which?" And Jesus said: "Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness. Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." The young man saith to him: "All these have I kept from my youth, what is yet wanting to me?" Jesus saith to him: "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me." (Matt. 19:16-21)

THE EVANGELICAL COUNSELS: The young man had kept the commandments from his youth up; and yet he did not feel satisfied. He wished to do even more than was commanded, or was absolutely necessary; in other words, he wished to reach a higher state of perfection. Our Lord, seeing this, gave him this counsel: "If thou wishest to be perfect, become voluntarily poor, and follow Me." There is no desire more noble, or more pleasing to God than the desire for perfection; and as our Lord looked at the young man, He loved him for this yearning of his soul.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)