Jesus’ call to ‘magis’
Oct. 13, 2024 – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Wisdom 7: 7-11, Psalm 90, R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!; Hebrews 4:12-13; Gospel – Mark 10: 17-30
One of the key Ignatian graces is the “magis,” the more. It is a spiritual virtue very much aligned with generosity and excellence.
In the story of the rich young man in this Sunday’s Gospel, we saw his enthusiasm to do good and inherit eternal life. Let us reflect on this.
Then, a second point for reflection, we also saw how this enthusiasm was “challenged” by the call to magis.
Finally, we are told the real source of the magis.
Clearly this rich young man was a good person. At the very least, he was compliant. But we can see that even so, there was a lack that he felt.
He was searching and, I dare say, enthusiastically searching. As the narrative pointed out, “He ran up and knelt before” Jesus. (cf. Mark 10: 17-30)
Like him, we all have our moments of enthusiasm. We are fundamentally good and desire to do good and—again I dare say—desire to do more, the magis.
But as we bring our journey to join Jesus’ journey, always, the reality of discipleship sets in. The reality of the magis challenges us.
Jesus challenged the rich young man to do more than compliance, but to enter into the realm of the magis.
But take note of how Jesus did this. Before he challenged him, the story tells us that after the rich young man responded, Jesus, “looking at him, loved him…”
He looked at him and loved him. What a way to accept what I think Jesus knew was going to be a failure at this point, i.e., the rich young man would not rise to the occasion to live the magis and be whole.
“‘You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”
This is the call to magis. It is getting out of our comfort zone. This is the pivot point.
Positive perspective
One must see it from a very positive perspective. The challenge to get out of our comfort zone is always viewed negatively, so the reaction is likewise “negative.”
Our enthusiasm is doused. Our face falls and we leave sad. We focus on what we will lose or give up rather than what we will gain.
Magis can be very tricky.
What then is the source of inspiration for the magis? Jesus gave us the answer, but he also laid out the cost of magis.
“How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!… For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”
Magis is total dependence on God’s love and grace. It is the only way for us to live it out.
This story of the rich young man and the challenge and cost of the magis is highly relevant in our day and age.
In a world plagued by so much evil and so many challenges, we need more than a compliant desire to do good. We need to do more, the magis.
It challenges us to get out of our comfort zone and totally give ourselves to the following of Jesus.
It is the prayer of Ignatius of Loyola: “Take and receive, o Lord,” everything I have which came from you, and to you I return them to an instrument in your hands.
“Give me only your love and your grace, these make me rich, I ask for nothing more.”
To be more, magis, is to have nothing of this world that is not God’s love and grace.
