Christ is Born!
What is the one thing you will never find in the photo? The photographer of course.
In our reading today from the Gospel of Mark we encounter the Rich Young Man, a would-be disciple of the Lord who asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. His question is an important one for us today because in it we can find the seeds of what has really matured in our own culture- materialism, capitalism and utilitarianism: “What is heaven worth? How can I earn my way in?” etc. Our Lord’s advice cuts straight to the heart of the matter, and unfortunately breaks the heart of the young man in the process. Sell all you possess. Give up that thing which you are relying on so you can rely on Christ. Then you will have found heaven.
You see, the answer to the question is impossible to get to from the world. The Lord has something to offer which the world cannot understand and cannot give. What are we to do then? Ask the photographer. Our Lord tells us as much when he says that with “man it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” It does not matter what it is that we rely on here in the picture- it will ultimately fail us. The photographer is the one who has to save us. Thanks be to God He has entered His own photo to pull us through into life!
Christ is Born!
