The Rich Man & Attachments - October 10, 2021

In this week’s Gospel, we hear the story of the rich man and how he is unwilling to give up what he is attached to in order to follow Jesus. Maybe it is just me, but it sometimes seems easy to look down at this man in the Gospel for being unable to give up his possessions.

However, I am reminded of how similar I am to him when I reflect on attachments that I need to give up to be holier or to improve my mental health. Attachments that get in the way of our holiness extend beyond just possessions and can take the form of ideas, habits, and affiliations.

Accepting that I needed to stop sleeping in and start praying in the morning was very difficult. I will admit that I was very attached to that extra hour or two of sleep every day. I was also admittedly angry and annoyed when I felt God calling me to this sacrifice.

However, it has brought me closer to Christ and improved my mental health in the process.

It is not easy to give up things that we enjoy or care for, even when they are detrimental to our spiritual life and mental health. When it comes to ideas, possessions, or habits that we are attached to, a good way to reflect on them is to determine if they are leading us closer to Christ or away from Christ.

The first step is recognizing what keeps us from growing closer to Christ, but a close second step is admitting to ourselves how much we enjoy or like what is getting in the way. I pray that we will not be like the rich man and that we will wholeheartedly sacrifice what we need to sacrifice, however difficult it may be.

This week, consider praying and reflecting on the attachments that might be keeping you from growing closer to Christ like the rich man in today’s Gospel.