“Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 19:23

       A priest once said that if you own millions more than what you need, then it’s not yours anymore. It is your duty to share them with those in need. It’s a tall order, especially in a nation where statistics say 20 percent of the population owns 80 percent of the country’s resources.

       How I pray that those not willing to share, those accumulating wealth more than they can ever use in their lifetime, would turn around and build wealth for the next life rather than for this passing world. While there is still time. While it’s still the time of mercy. Cristy Galang (cristy_cc@yahoo.com)

Reflection: Where are you putting your time, treasure and talent? Are you focused on things on earth or on life eternal?

Lord Jesus, I offer all I do for Your greater glory. And I ask that You guide me to use my resources towards the building of Your Kingdom here on earth. With Your grace, may I prepare well for my life after I leave this world. Amen.

Israel has become proud and complacent in her wealth, and Jeremiah prophesies this will lead to disaster. The true measure of a person is his goodness, not his wealth. The disaster Jeremiah speaks about is foreign rule over Israel. Is God punishing Israel or is this a consequence of Israel’s sin?

Ezekiel 28:1-10

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre: Thus says the Lord God: Because you are haughty of heart, you say, “A god am I! I occupy a godly throne in the heart of the sea!” — And yet you are a man, and not a god, however you may think yourself like a god. 3 Oh yes, you are wiser than Daniel, there is no secret that is beyond you. 4 By your wisdom and your intelligence you have made riches for yourself; you have put gold and silver into your treasuries. 5 By your great wisdom applied to your trading you have heaped up your riches; your heart has grown haughty from your riches. 6 Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Because you have thought yourself to have the mind of a god, 7 therefore I will bring against you foreigners, the most barbarous of nations. They shall draw their swords against your beauteous wisdom, they shall run them through your splendid apparel. 8 They shall thrust you down to the pit, there to die a bloodied corpse, in the heart of the sea. 9 Will you then say, “I am a god!” when you face your murderers? No, you are a man, not a god, handed over to those who will slay you. 10 You shall die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners, for I have spoken, says the Lord God.

Deuteronomy 32:26-27, 27-28, 30, 35-36

R: It is I who deal death and give life.

26 “I would have said, ‘I will make an end of them and blot out their name from men’s memories,’ 27 Had I not feared the insolence of their enemies, feared that these foes would mistakenly boast.” (R) “‘Our own hand won the victory; the Lord had nothing to do with it.’ ” 28 For they are a people devoid of reason, having no understanding. (R) 30 “How could one man rout a thousand, or two men put ten thousand to flight, unless it was because their Rock sold them and the Lord delivered them up?” (R) 35 Close at hand is the day of their disaster and their doom is rushing upon them! 36 Surely, the Lord shall do justice for his people; on his servants he shall have pity. (R)

GOSPEL

The many distractions in the world prevent us from responding in faith to God. Money is one of the most powerful distractions. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us about the difficulties of the wealthy. We need to learn how to use money properly and not allow it to use us.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich so that by his poverty you might become rich.

Matthew 19:23-30

23 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. 24 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.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” 28 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. 29 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. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. ”

think: The true measure of a person is his goodness, not his wealth.

Thank You Lord for: __________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Isaiah 1-4  

THE CAMEL AND THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE

In one of my visits to Jerusalem, I spent some time at the Temple Mount, where the grand temple that Jesus visited many times stood. He went there not only to pray but also to clean it from corruption, driving out vendors and moneychangers.

       When I left the area, I passed through a huge green old gate. What puzzled me was a small door in the massive wooden gate. When a group of tourists approached, I listened to the explanation of the guide. At sunset, he said, city gates were usually closed to protect the city from enemies who might use the darkness to enter it. But there were always latecomers. To open the big, heavy gate for each of them was too difficult and dangerous because enemies could take advantage of the opening of the gate. And so there was a small door in the gate, the so-called “eye of the needle.”

       When, for example, a merchant with a camel would arrive late, the small door would be opened, the merchant would unload the baggage from the camel and make the camel kneel in front of the “eye of the needle.” The owner would push the animal through the narrow door. The camel could enter because the owner had removed the bulky baggage.

         Now I understood what Jesus meant when He said that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. The problem is that the rich person has no one to remove his “baggage,” i.e., his accumulated wealth. He had to do it himself and that seems to be very difficult for rich people.

       It’s not that wealth is evil. It depends on how much a person has become attached to it, so attached that he is not able to detach himself anymore to share it with those who are poor and in need. Wealth is a gift from God to be shared. If wealth is understood and handled that way, it will not hinder one from passing through the “eye of the needle” and enter the Kingdom of God. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

REFLECTION QUESTION: How attached are you to material things such that you hesitate to share them with those in need?

Thank You, Lord, for the lesson of the camel and the eye of the needle. Make me always aware that what I have is Your gift and that I need to share it with those who are in need. Amen.