In the Gospel of Mark, a rich young man approaches Jesus and asks what he must do to gain eternal life. When Jesus lovingly tells him that the only thing holding him back is his possessions, the young man turns away sad. This passage, while referring to material possessions and charity, has developed in my understanding to also encapsulate deep-seated truths about spiritual growth and human nature.
When I started my undergraduate studies at the University of Portland, I made the largest transition in my life at the time, moving from Colorado to Oregon, leaving behind eighteen years of memories, familiarity, and relationships. Much like the rich young man in the passage, giving up these “possessions” I had stored in my heart was painful and left me feeling sad.
After a semester of homesickness and spiritual aridity as the result of grieving the loss of the life I had known, I changed my outlook. I began to see how this transition was making room for a deeper relationship with Christ. Jesus asked His disciples to leave everything behind to follow Him, and with each transition in life we emulate this call by leaving more of ourselves behind – our attachments, comforts, and fondness to persons and places. Instead we gain the “treasure in heaven”– the eternal peace, joy, and freedom found in Christ.
Transitions provide us an opportunity to die to ourselves, for we see our souls more clearly once they have been cleared of old obstructions. But sometimes our response to transitions can hinder our spiritual growth. The discomfort with our new situation can sometimes cause us to glorify the past and be inattentive to the present. When we hold on to how things were, we can miss how God is working on us in the current moment.
Looking back on my time in college, I realize that what was a difficult transition became one of the most transformational times in my faith. Through life’s changes, I continue to learn from the rich young man– not to walk away from the opportunity downcast, but to leave behind accumulated possessions in order to allow God to take residence more deeply in my life.
Reflection by Kayla Garchar ’19
