In the 19th chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus encounters a young man who professes to live out the most important commandments. This is Jesus’ first recommendation to reaching eternal life. But even after affirming that he doesn’t kill, steal, commit adultery, bear false witness, and that he honors his father and mother and loves his neighbor as himself, Jesus reveals the innermost mansions. Somehow the young man knows that he hasn’t yet done everything that he can to obtain eternal life. There is something more. Jesus at first only recounts the commandments that relate to other people, not to God.
The U.S. bishops held their annual conference last week, and among the matters they took up, Carol Zimmerman reported for Catholic News Service, they “elected new officers and discussed challenges in the Church and the nation. They spoke of their renewed efforts to help immigrants, youth and young adults, pregnant women and the poor as well their steps to combat gun violence and racism.”