Word to the Wise
Tuesday, August 22, 2017 - Tuesday in the 20th Week in Ordinary Time
[Judg 6:11-24a and Matt 19:23-30]"Amen, 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 humans this is impossible, but for God all things are possible." [Matthew]
AUGUST 22 QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
This gospel passage follows immediately on the one from yesterday about the young man with many possessions who went away sad when Jesus challenged him to sell his possessions, give the proceeds to the poor and then follow Him. Jesus now reflects on that encounter by pointing out the danger of wealth. This astonishes the disciples who, like many of their time (and ours), viewed wealth as a great blessing. Rich people were surely "saved." If they aren't among the saved. then who is? Jesus simply tells them that salvation is not a matter of obtaining material wealth. it is a matter of God's providence. The camel/needle image is a vivid piece of Middle-Eastern hyperbole.
However, the passage goes on. Peter asks the next question, "If we have given up the rat-race and gotten rid of our "stuff" to follow you, Jesus, what's in it for us?" Jesus promises two things, one of them at the end of time involving the twelve apostles and the other for anyone who gives everything up to follow him: "And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life." Maybe that seems "pie in the sky by and by" to some folks, but my own experience has been true to that statement. I may have "left it all" to enter religious life, but I soon found out that my family is still with me; I have many other brothers and sisters from my campus ministry experience, and I was even allowed to go back to law school! I also know couples who strive to live simply and in faith, and who are witnesses to me of following Jesus. Their happiness and "rich" family life are truly a great reward.
Finding a way through the financial and secular cultural exaltation of material wealth which has become a "false god" is not easy. Jesus has already told us that. Can we believe his promises about following him? AMEN
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