Word to the Wise
Tuesday, August 21, 2007 - St. Pius X, Pope
[Judges 6:11-24A and Matthew 19:23-30]"Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.
This exchange between Jesus and the disciples occurs after the rich young man has walked away "sad for he had many possessions." One can almost see Jesus sadly shaking his head. In the Gospel of Luke, we find the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus as an example of what Jesus' is trying to communicate. The problem is not in riches per se but in the dependence on them for security. Dives was surrounded by his pleasures to the extent that he could not see Lazarus at his doorstep. Jesus challenged the rich young man to give up his security to follow as a disciple. This price was too much to pay. Indeed, Peter speaks up and seems to be looking for what will come to replace the security he and the others have given up to follow Jesus. Jesus promises him a role in the "the new age." Money in the bank seems like the proverbial "bird in the hand" and Jesus' invitation like the "two in the bush" to a skeptical and cynical secular world. Each morning, when I listen to MORNING EDITION on NPR, there is always a prominent place given to the stock market and "leading economic indicators" of various sorts. The frantic clamoring of buying and selling and the "state of the economy" are an indicator of which kingdom claims the heart, soul and strength of our nation. Jesus summons us beyond these concerns. Can we follow him and find our "security" with him? AMEN
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