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     Jesus' teaching on the dangers of wealth astounded his disciples, much like his teaching on divorce!  Discipleship will demand a departure from what was accepted ways of thinking.  Today's gospel passage follows on Jesus' advice to the young man who asked what he needed to do besides following the basic commandments of the law.  When Jesus told him to get rid of his wealth and follow him (Jesus), the young man went away sad because "he had many possessions."  The issue here is not about the value of possessions in themselves but the effect they can have on discipleship.  Wealth does not guarantee salvation.  Salvation is a pure gift of God.  So, those who are wealthy may not presume that they are more important in the sight of God than the poor.  This is what astounds the disciples, who, like many in their time (and in our time, too) presumed that wealth was a direct blessing from God.

     The "gospel of prosperity" is unfortunately still alive and well in some Christian circles.  It results in a kind of smug belief that God has destined some people to be rich, or at least well-off, and others to be miserably poor.  It further gives rise to the belief that wealth entitles a person to greater power over others or, at least, access to power.  It is this kind of thing that Jesus is getting at.  The "gospel of prosperity" is a contradiction in terms.  

     Jesus does indeed promise that those who give up everything to follow him will receive "a hundred times more and eternal life."  The skeptic or cynic will say this is "pie in the sky, bye and bye," but it really depends on where a Christian is going to place his or her ultimate hope.  As the old saying puts it, "There are no pockets in a shroud!"  AMEN