Commentary on the Gospel of
Wrong Question
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The very question was wrong—for it was built on a faulty assumption that we must “do” something to inherit eternal life. You do not “do” anything to get your inheritance; you just need to “be.” I inherit my parental property not because of anything I do, but because of who I “am.” When you become truly conscious of who you “are” and grow into that self, behavior proper to such a self will simply flow from you. In other words, “doing” will follow your “being” as a consequence, not vice versa. St. Peter refers to this inheritance in the first reading, telling us that this “inheritance that does not corrupt, nor goes bad, nor passes away, is reserved for you in heaven.” Had the young man been truly conscious of this, the invitation of Jesus would have thrilled his heart: to leave everything behind and walk beside Jesus, the true spouse of his soul, his eternal possession.
