Riches and Wealth

Today’s Gospel Text:  And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 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." 25 When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 27 Then Peter said in reply, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?" 28 Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many that are first will be last, and the last first. Matt 19:23-30

Reflection: “Wealth and riches are in his house; and his righteousness endures forever.” Ps 112:3

These are the blessings the Psalmist proclaims on those who fear the Lord and walks in the wisdom of his commandments. 

Like most of those modern day prosperity gospel preachers most of the Jews always believed that it was a blessing to be rich and a curse to be poor.

No wonder the dedicated disciples found the statement of Jesus shocking and difficult to accept; for they had grown up with a mindset that talked about riches and prosperity for the righteous.

Could they be following Christ Jesus because they saw him as a future investment worth more than gold? By his walk and demeanor, Christ Jesus, was assuredly a pathway to prosperity.  They would have to endure his poverty but for a little while only.

"Who then can be saved?" (vs. 25b) was a statement made by these dedicated disciples, with great astonishment.

It seems that Jesus was really against riches and wealth and against the rich and the wealthy?

We could have riches and wealth and can get so enamored by it that we could end up worshipping them.

We could miss out on the purpose and plan that God has for each one of us; a plan for our happiness and eternity.

But with riches we can create our own world of happiness, apart from God; No wonder money can make people happy but God can do it better; he can make us happy even in the face of want and poverty.

How can any human being be so enamored by the gifts that they forget the giver of all gifts?

Yet this is the greatest reality with humans, they keep gathering up the gifts and likewise treat their children too in the same way.

Prayer: The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; thou holdest my lot. Ps 16:5

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Seek?

Today’s Gospel Text: And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 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." 25 When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 27 Then Peter said in reply, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?" 28 Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many that are first will be last, and the last first. Matt 19:23-30

Reflection: If, according to Jesus, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, then will it be easy for a poor man to enter the kingdom of heaven, for that matter any poor man?

In order to understand the truth of this statement we need to understand the rich man first? Why is it hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven? Why does Jesus not say that it is impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven but only “hard”?

That makes one thing clear; it is hard but not impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. It means that a rich man can continue to remain rich and yet enter the kingdom of heaven, though it would be hard for him to do so. 

Having made this point clear, let us move to the next step of analyzing the rich man: The rich man is normally rich because he has chosen to make riches his goal in life, riches as the buyer of his happiness and trusts it more than anything to give him what he wants.

If it is so, then does such a person require God or feel the need for God in their lives? It is a clear sign of living in a state of sin whereby the first commandment is clearly broken and love of riches take the place of God. 

Not that a poor man may not have such avaricious ambitions in life, even he is capable of seeking to achieve that goal of getting rich and seek riches in  order to achieve their targeted happiness based on greed.

But a rich man, who has not inherited his riches and has achieved riches, normally has worked his way with riches as his goal in life to achieve the many pleasures of life. In the process he may have even treated his neighbor with disdain and ill-treated those who have been under them- further adding to his guilt.  

Prayer: “… let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his presence continually!” 1 Chron 16:10-11

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Riches to be Handled

Scripture/Bible:  "There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, full of sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom. 24 And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' 25 But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' 27 And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29 But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" Luke 16:19-31

Reflection: It is a story about a rich man and a poor man. It’s a story about their lifestyle.  One had all the riches of this life and the other had nothing but poverty to live with.

What leads the rich man to hell fire was not so much his absence of charity but his lifestyle of rich satisfied life.  He had the good things of life.  On the other hand, in the case of the poor man, he had his hunger and desires which were not satisfied.

What could be the reason why the rich man had the good things of life? He could have been a men pleaser or a cheat or maybe an honest businessman who did not have his priorities right and did not know how to please God in the wealth God had blessed him with. “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Luke 12:21

If he cared about God, then from the Lord himself he would have learnt the right attitude of life; to be generous with what he has been given, especially towards his poor brothers and sisters.

We could be satisfied with various riches, such as self confidence, speaking abilities, organizing abilities, learning abilities, the various talents or even the ability of giving and being generous about the things we have and posses and yet we may not be rich towards God.

Prayer: Lord my God, teach me not to be haughty on account of the riches that thou hast given me but instead to put my trust in you. (cfr. 2 Tim. 6: 17)

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us