not far but not there yet - 3rd week lent friday 2019

You are not far from the kingdom of God.  You are not far.  You are not there yet, but you are not far.

Here Jesus reminds us the difference and therefore the relationship of what we know, and doing or acting upon what we know.

We must acknowledge that many of us need to be catechized, we need to know more, we need something substantial in the education in the faith.  As affirmed by Jesus in the attitude of this pious scribe everything starts with knowing, and believing and being convinced with what we know.  It is an acknowledgement that as a parish community catechesis is very much needed from its littlest members to us adults.  We need to be educated in the faith.

But, Jesus said, you are not far from the kingdom of God. Knowing starts our journey to the kingdom but doing what we know and acting it out brings us to the kingdom.  

From experience we know that there can be sometimes a wide chasm between knowing and doing. We know, and yet why do we do the contrary?  We know, and yet why do we fail to carry it out? This is because our knowledge is not tempered by prayer and it is not made mature by our love for Jesus which draws us to a commitment.  

James in his letter said, be doers of the word and not hearers only, otherwise we are deceiving ourselves.  

May the season of lent encourage us to grow deeper in prayer and in our relationship with the Lord.