Sometimes the most powerful moments in the Gospels are not found in dramatic miracles or lengthy conversations, but in a single sentence that invites us to stop and look more closely.
St Mark gives us one such moment when he tells us what happened as a young man approached Jesus with a sincere question: “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him” (Mark 10:21, ESV-CE).
Before the Lord asked him to change his life, before He challenged him to surrender what he treasured, Jesus looked at him with love.
Those few words reveal something beautiful about the heart of Christ, and they invite us to consider how He looks upon each one of us today.
Jesus Looked at Him and Loved Him
The encounter begins with a young man who runs to Jesus, kneels before Him and asks, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17, ESV-CE). He is not mocking Jesus or trying to trap Him with a clever question. He genuinely wants to know how to live in a way that leads to eternal life. Jesus reminds him of the commandments, and the young man replies that he has kept them from his youth. Then comes that remarkable sentence: Jesus looks at him and loves him.
It is easy to hurry past those words because we are eager to discover what Jesus says next. Yet St Mark deliberately draws our attention to the Lord’s love before revealing His challenge. Jesus does not begin by humiliating the young man, listing his faults or dismissing his efforts. He looks at him with love. The invitation that follows comes from that love and cannot be understood properly when separated from it.
Jesus tells the young man to sell what he has, give to the poor, and come and follow Him. The request reaches into the very heart of the man’s life. He has many possessions, and the Gospel tells us that he goes away sorrowful. We can imagine his disappointment, but we should not overlook the sadness of the moment for Jesus either. The Lord has offered him a way forward, yet the young man finds himself unable to let go.
We are not told what happened to him afterwards. Perhaps, in later years, he remembered the day Jesus looked at him with love. Perhaps that memory eventually helped him respond differently. Scripture leaves the question unanswered, reminding us that the Lord’s invitation can continue to echo in a heart long after an encounter has ended. We should not assume that the young man’s story was necessarily finished when he walked away.
In many ways, we recognise ourselves in him. We may sincerely love God, try to keep His commandments and desire to grow in holiness, while still holding tightly to something that makes following Christ more difficult. For one person, it might be pride; for another, resentment, fear, a desire for approval or an attachment that has gradually taken too much space in the heart. What Jesus asks us to surrender will not be identical for everyone, but His purpose is always to draw us closer to Himself.
This is where the loving gaze of Jesus becomes so important. He does not expose our weaknesses to crush us. He reveals what needs to change because He knows the freedom and peace we can discover when we allow His grace to work within us. His love does not mean that everything we do is acceptable, nor does it mean that conversion is unnecessary. Rather, His love gives us the courage to face the truth and begin again.
Other Gospel encounters reveal this same tenderness. After Peter denies Jesus three times, the Lord turns and looks at him (Luke 22:61). Peter goes out and weeps bitterly, but his failure does not have the final word. Later, the risen Christ restores him and entrusts him with a mission.
When Jesus sees Zacchaeus in the tree, He calls him by name and invites Himself into his home (Luke 19:5). When He calls Matthew, the invitation is simple: “Follow me” (Matthew 9:9). Again and again, Christ takes the initiative. He sees people as they are, yet calls them towards what they can become through His grace.
Pope Benedict XVI expressed a central truth of Christian life when he wrote that being Christian begins with an encounter with a Person, rather than merely an ethical choice or a lofty idea. Our faith is not simply a list of rules to follow or a collection of religious duties to complete. It is a relationship with Jesus Christ, who loves us first and invites us to respond. The commandments matter, and our actions matter, but they belong within this living relationship with the Lord.
Perhaps, then, we need to spend a little time with St Mark’s words without rushing towards an explanation. Jesus, looking at him, loved him. We can quietly imagine ourselves in the young man’s place, standing before Christ with our hopes, weaknesses, questions and fears.
We do not need to pretend that our lives are perfect. We can bring Him the truth, trusting that His gaze sees more than our failures. He sees the person He created us to be and the holiness He desires to nurture within us.
The next time we feel discouraged by our shortcomings, let us remember this encounter.
Jesus does not stop loving us when He calls us to change.
His correction is not the opposite of His compassion; it is one way His compassion reaches us.
Whatever He invites us to surrender, He offers Himself in return.
We may not always understand the road ahead, and we may sometimes struggle to take the next step, but we can begin by remaining in the presence of the One who looks upon us with love.
Our Challenge for the Week
This week, let us read Mark 10:17–22 slowly and spend five quiet minutes each day imagining ourselves in the presence of Jesus. We can ask Him to show us anything that prevents us from following Him more freely, and then listen without fear or defensiveness.
If we are able, we might also receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, trusting in Christ’s mercy and asking for the grace to begin again. Above all, let us carry this simple truth into our daily lives: Jesus looks at us with love, even when He asks us to change.
A Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes
O Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, help us to see ourselves as your Son sees us.
When our weaknesses discourage us or our sins weigh heavily upon our hearts, remind us of His infinite love and mercy.
Obtain for us the grace to respond generously to His call, to surrender whatever draws us away from Him, and to trust that His will leads us towards true freedom.
Walk beside us in our daily lives and lead us ever closer to Jesus. Amen.
A prayer for all who read this blog post and for all who never will.
Heavenly Father, we pray for all who read this blog post and for all who never will.
May every heart come to know the loving gaze of Your Son. Heal those who feel forgotten, strengthen those who are struggling, comfort those who are grieving, and give hope to those who believe their failures have placed them beyond Your mercy.
Help us to recognise Your love in our daily lives and to share that love generously with others. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, look upon us today,
And guide our hearts along Your way.
When we are weak, when hope grows dim,
Remind us we are loved by Him.
Give us courage to let things go,
And trust the path You help us know.
Until at last our faith is sight,
Lead us to Heaven’s endless light.
Parish Invitation
We warmly invite everyone to join us at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, New Milton, where we gather to celebrate Holy Mass, encounter Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, and receive the grace of the Sacraments.
Whether we have been Catholics for many years, are returning after a long absence, or are simply searching for faith and hope, there is a place for us within the parish family.
We can come with our questions, our struggles and our longing to grow closer to God, trusting that the Lord meets us where we are and invites us onwards.
As Jesus promises, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20, ESV-CE).
May we discover His loving presence among us and carry it into our homes, our friendships and our everyday encounters.
Until next time... Stay prayerful. Stay faithful. Stay Catholic – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
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