Tuesday, August 19, 2014
20th Week in Ordinary Time 1st Reading:
Ez 28: 1-10
Gospel: Matthew 19:23-30
Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I say to you: it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, believe me: it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.”
On hearing this the disciples were astonished and said, “Who, then, can be saved?” Jesus looked steadily at them and answered,
“For humans it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”
Then Peter spoke up and said, “You see we have given up everything to follow you: what will be our lot?”
Jesus answered, “You who have followed me, listen to my words: on the Day of Renewal, when the Son of Man sits on his throne in glory, you, too, will sit on twelve thrones to rule the twelve tribes of Israel. As for those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or property for my Name’s sake, they will receive a hundredfold and be given eternal life. Many who are now first will be last, and many who are now last will be first.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Because even the smallest inordinate attachment to earthly fortune can enslave us, Jesus requires detachment from his followers.
Detachment is an indispensable condition to spiritual freedom. The reason is simple. Attachment is fatal to any missionary work because attachment necessarily involves selfishness while missionary work requires generosity and self oblation.
Thus, Jesus warns those who fatten themselves up like camels in material indulgence that heaven’s gates would be as inaccessible to them as a needle’s eye to a camel is. Meanwhile he promises easy access to heaven to the non-worldly.
Excited about the reward Peter began enumerating what he had given up for the Lord. But Jesus did not revise what he had said, and his promise remained generic – an offer available to all. Anyhow, what did Peter really give up to deserve any reward from the Lord? A tattered fishing net, an old fishing boat, and a nagging mother in law hardly level up with the coveted reward!
We too cannot claim any right to the kingdom no matter what we give up for the Lord. Firstly, what can we give that the Lord does not own? Secondly, even if we were to own the whole world, the same wouldn’t be enough to procure heaven. All earthly treasures combined fail in comparison. The paradox, however, is that the smallest fortune of earth can restrain our freedom to love God and neighbor. No wonder Jesus makes detachment an indispensable condition to discipleship. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email:dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website:www.frdan.org.
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