FIRST READING
Ezekiel 28:1-10
The word of the LORD came to me: 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. Oh yes, you are wiser than Daniel, there is no secret that is beyond you. By your wisdom and your intelligence you have made riches for yourself; You have put gold and silver into your treasuries. By your great wisdom applied to your trading you have heaped up your riches; your heart has grown haughty from your riches– therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have thought yourself to have the mind of a god, 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. They shall thrust you down to the pit, there to die a bloodied corpse, in the heart of the sea. Will you then say, “I am a god!” when you face your murderers? No, you are man, not a god, handed over to those who will slay you. You shall die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners, for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Deuteronomy 32:26-27ab, 27cd-28, 30, 35cd-36ab
R. (39c) It is I who deal death and give life.
“I would have said, ‘I will make an end of them and blot out their name from men’s memories,’ Had I not feared the insolence of their enemies, feared that these foes would mistakenly boast.”
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
“‘Our own hand won the victory; the LORD had nothing to do with it.’” For they are a people devoid of reason, having no understanding.
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
“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. It is I who deal death and give life.
Close at hand is the day of their disaster, and their doom is rushing upon them! Surely, the LORD shall do justice for his people; on his servants he shall have pity.
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
ALLELUIA
2 Corinthians 8:9
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich so that by his poverty you might become rich.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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.”
REFLECTIONS:
Was Jesus really against wealth? And why did he issue
such a strong warning to the rich (as well as to the rest of us who desire
to be rich)? We know that Jesus was not opposed to wealth per se, nor was
he opposed to the wealthy. He had many friends who were well-to-do, including
some notorious tax collectors! One even became an apostle! Jesus' warning
reiterated the wisdom of the Old Testament: "Better is a poor man
who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is perverse in his ways"
(Proverbs 28:6; see also Psalm 37:16). "Do not wear yourself out to get
rich; be wise enough to desist" (Proverbs 23:4). Jesus seems to say that
it is nearly impossible for the rich to live as citizens of God's kingdom.
The camel was regarded as the largest animal in Palestine. The "eye of
the needle" could be interpreted quite literally or it could figuratively
describe the narrow and low gate of the city walls which was used by travellers
when the larger public gate was locked after dark. A normal sized man had
to "lower" himself to enter that gate. A camel would literally have to
kneel and crawl through it.
Why is Jesus so cautious about wealth? Wealth can make us falsely independent.
The church at Laodicea was warned about their attitude towards wealth and
a false sense of security: "For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and
I need nothing" (Revelations 3:17). Wealth can also lead us into hurtful
desires and selfishness (see 1 Timothy 6:9-10). Look at the lesson Jesus
gave about the rich man and his sons who refused to aid the poor man Lazarus
(see Luke 16:19ff). They also neglected to serve God. The Scriptures give
us a paradox: we lose what we keep and we gain what we give away. Generosity
will be amply repaid, both in this life and in eternity (Proverbs 3:9-10,
Luke 6:38). Jesus offers us an incomparable treasure which no money can
buy and no thief can steal. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest
treasure. Material wealth will shackle us to this earth unless we guard
our hearts and set our treasure in God and his everlasting kingdom. Where
is your treasure?
"Lord Jesus, you have captured our hearts and opened to us the treasures
of heaven. May you always be my treasure and delight and may nothing else
keep me from giving you my all."
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