...his face fell and he went away sad...

Many TV preachers preach a Gospel of Prosperity.  "Accept Jesus as your personal Saviour and expect to be prosperous."

That is not the Gospel we hear today.

Instead, the young man's face fell, "for he had many possessions." He could not accept the invitation from Jesus: "to let go."

His decision was not prudent. Instead of being memorialized and named as wise, he sinks into oblivion, un-named and never honored.

The First Reading praises prudence. It is too bad a word close to prudence is "prude." It in no way relates to "prudence."

The Book of Wisdom proclaims: "I deemed riches nothing as compard to her."

There are key moments in our life when important choices lead to a fork in our road. The young man chose the less wise road and is never heard from again.

He chose riches.

Wisdom says: "I prayed and prudence was given to me."

And so we pray:

O God grant me the gift of prudence,

May her spirit of wisdom come upon me.

As an election looms before me,

help me to discern prudently,

not be ruled by passion nor prejudice.

May I prefer prudence to riches.

Deliver me from demogogs.

Deliver me from mud filled  ads..

Help me to value prudence over throne,

more than scepter. 

Amen