Gospel: Matthew 19:23-30
Jesus
said to his disciples: “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.” Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have
given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” Jesus said to
them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when
the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve
thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 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. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
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Reflection:
The
recent suicide of Robin Williams tells us that fame and fortune is not a
guaranty to have inner peace and serenity. We may have all the material wealth
of this world but it amounts to nothing if we are without inner peace.
In our
gospel Jesus said to the disciples, it will be hard for one who is rich to
enter the Kingdom of heaven. This was in reference to the rich man in our gospel yesterday (Matthew 19:16-22) who couldn’t give-up his treasures in favor
of the poor and his discipleship with Jesus. That rich man was actually invited
by Jesus to become his follower but he declined the glorious offer because he
held-on to his wealth.
It’s not actually bad to be rich it becomes a hazard to our well-being when we make our riches our God. That we are not willing to let it go for anything even for the sake of the kingdom of God. Therefore, when we are so in-love with our fleeting wealth we become capable of doing anything that Jesus abhors.
It’s not actually bad to be rich it becomes a hazard to our well-being when we make our riches our God. That we are not willing to let it go for anything even for the sake of the kingdom of God. Therefore, when we are so in-love with our fleeting wealth we become capable of doing anything that Jesus abhors.
That’s
why Jesus said in our gospel that 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. Because
the more that we get richer the more that we distance ourselves from the love
of Jesus yet the more that we give away our riches the more that we become fit for the kingdom
of God.
God
created us to freely aspire for His kingdom in heaven and not to be permanently
imprisoned by our riches in this world. - Marino J. Dasmarinas
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