"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."
Yesterday we heard the story of the wealthy young man who was invited to follow the Lord and "went away sad for he had many possessions." Watching him leave Jesus made the doleful observation about the wealthy. Some interpreters have said that "the needle's eye" was a gate through the wall of Jerusalem and some camels might be able to creep through it. Meaning, some wealthy persons can be saved.
I don't doubt that everyone should hope for salvation but I think Jesus meant what he said about camels and needle's eyes. Wealth is a terminal sickness; it possesses the heart, mind and soul of its victims, blinding them to everything but itself, filling them with dread of poverty, failure and loss. They are caught in a fatal vortex of their own volition; there is no hope in that.
The disciples apparently agreed with the common consensus: that the wealthy are preferred by God in this world and the next.
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said,
"Who then can be saved?"
However, Jesus did not make a final judgement on the lot of the wealthy. He left a loophole wider than a needle's eye:
Jesus looked at them and said,
"For men this is impossible,
but for God all things are possible."
If the Son in his human nature, seeing and suffering the terrible consequences of wealth, could not imagine their salvation, perhaps the Father could.
Sensing a coming, hopeful pronouncement, Peter asked,
"We have given up everything and followed you.
What will there be for us?"
A reasonable request, if asked rather too bluntly. What's in it for us?
Jesus promises us an eternal life of communion with others, far more satisfying than a life of leisure.
I met a fellow in Louisiana who had inherited much wealth. He had studied in good schools but had never actually worked for a living. He had two large houses on his family's property where he lived alone. Both homes were infested with cats. He had not entered the second in many years; he could not say how many cats might be in there. But he was rich.
Jesus promises "a hundred times" more houses, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, children and lands. You cannot imagine how wealthy you will be for there is nothing in this world like it.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.