Reflection for August 19 Tuesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 19:23-30

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:

Can you truly achieve inner peace and serenity by chasing the fleeting offerings of this world? 

Fortune, fame, and even power can never give us the lasting peace our hearts long for. We may possess all the wealth this world has to offer, but it will amount to nothing if we do not have inner peace, serenity, and above all, God. Just look at the lives of many rich, famous, and powerful people who, despite having everything, ended their lives in despair. Their stories remind us that worldly riches cannot fill the emptiness of the soul. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus said to His disciples that it is hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. He was referring to the rich man who could not let go of his treasures for the sake of the poor and for the sake of following Him. Jesus lovingly invited this man to become His disciple, but he walked away from the glorious offer, clinging instead to his wealth. What a tragic choice—to reject eternal riches for temporary possessions. (Matthew 19:16-22) 

It is not a sin to be rich. But riches become a dangerous snare when they take the place of God in our hearts. When wealth becomes our idol, when we cannot let go even for the sake of God’s Kingdom, then we risk losing not only our peace but also our eternal life. When we fall in love with fleeting riches, we begin to justify anything—even the very sins that Jesus detests—all for the sake of keeping or gaining more wealth. 

For example, we may allow ourselves to be enslaved by greed, treating wealth as our god. Some may even engage in corruption or compromise their values just to gain more. This is the spiritual danger that Jesus warns us about when He said: “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.” This powerful hyperbole is not meant to discourage us, but to awaken us. It calls us to examine: Do we serve God, or do we serve wealth? 

Come to think of it, is it bad to be rich? Certainly not—as long as we do not make our earthly wealth our god. Wealth, when placed at the service of God’s Kingdom, becomes a blessing. Imagine using our riches to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, build up the Church, and share the Gospel. The truth is this: the more we give away our wealth for the sake of love and service, the more we become fit for the Kingdom of God. 

God did not create us to be enslaved by riches that perish. He created us to freely aspire for His Kingdom in heaven, where true peace and serenity dwell forever. Let us not be imprisoned by the false security of wealth. Instead, let us hold on to Christ, the eternal treasure, for in Him alone lies the peace that no money can ever buy. 

Do you allow yourself to be enslaved by material riches? — Marino J. Dasmarinas