What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?( Mk 8:36).
God is good, all the time. Friends, it is generally believed that when going to an unknown location, talking to someone who has been there before helps. Both Moses and Jesus give us insights into this belief. Moses urges his fellow Hebrews in the passage of the first reading, "Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land."
We wonder why Moses spoke these words, knowing that his Exodus experiences were no different from the rest of the people. Here is why. Moses has had two prior experiences that the others didn't have. First, growing up in the palace of the Pharaoh, he had tasted blessed life at the time the rest of them were suffering. Second, Moses had had one-on-one encounters with God starting from the burning bush and experienced glimpses of the divine majesty, something the others had not yet enjoyed. Therefore, his advice was worth taking.
In the gospel, Jesus cautions the disciple against the pursuits of worldly riches while neglecting their relationship with God. "What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?" As one who had come from heaven to us, he alone can compare the two locations and urge us accordingly about which one to give our consuming attention to. "No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man"( Jn 3:13).
So, we can trust him when he implies that nothing on earth does come even close to what is pertained to heaven. How then may we know that we are gaining the whole world to the detriment of our soul?
Here is the litmus test: is anything stopping you from praying? Is anything keeping you away from the Church? Is anything making it harder for you to love others? Is anything making it impossible to forgive others? Are you holding on to what you have so tightly that you are afraid to share or let go? Is any bad habit keeping you from honoring God with your life or body? Is anything keeping you from accepting God's love in the Eucharist and confession? Do you struggle with self-control?
Remember that we may inadvertently be growing rich in these areas while ignoring their imperceptible destructive effect on our soul. May God open our eyes to see the pitfalls in our lives and grant us the courage to level them. Amen.