Reflection on the Gospel of the Tuesday In The Nineteenth Week In Ordinary Time
Matthew 19:23-30
This statement of Jesus is very difficult to understand in its complete sense, because of the words used and the illustration of the camel and the eye of a needle, that Jesus uses. But we have to look at the background in which Matthew places this statement of Jesus.
Jesus says these lines in response to a Rich Young Man who has just visited him
- The Young Man was a devout Jew.
- living his life in accordance with the Law.
- Yet he was inquiring with Jesus the way to Eternal Life.
- This helps us understand his sincerity in wanting to please God.
- Against this we have the opposite example of the Pharisees and scribes
- who lived their lives in accordance with the legal requirements of the law
- but their hearts were far away
- Jesus points to him, that he requires to give up his wealth and follow him
- to which the rich man goes away dejected
- This young man had made the gathering of wealth the priority in his life
- He did not wish to push it aside and
- Let God take the first place in his life
- It is not that God despises wealth
- he wishes to show us that wealth and riches have an ability to blind us
- blind us to the truth
- thus we end up getting rolled up in slime even more.
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
- A camel was an animal used by traders and was often overladen with goods.
- Jesus is drawing similarity between a rich person and a traders camel.
- When the Main Big Gate of a city was closed
- the smaller side gate was used to enter the city.
- At such times it was easy for the trader to unburden his camel
- and move his goods and camel into the city through the narrow side gate.
- But a Rich Person, already blinded by his riches
- cannot see the practicality of removing the obstacles in his life that prevent him from entering.
- He rather stay outside of the protection of the city gates and face the dangers therein.
- he may even loose his life in the bargain.
- Pride and false self-esteem that the love of wealth brings in, eventually destroys a person
“Who then can be saved?”
- The disciples understand what Jesus is teaching them
- but they ask Jesus
- in this world
- which revolves around wealth and money
- how can one not chase money
- This is a question even those today reflect upon many a times.
- Jesus answers in light of his teaching in Matthew 6
- for humanity to find a balance and proper way to respond to God and Money is difficult
- This can only be brought about by God’s Spirit in our lives
- Matthew 6:33 says – Seek First God’s Kingdom, and he will help you with everything else.
- If we don’t take God at his word, and don’t pursue him
- we will not be able to see how he provides for us, each day, each moment.
