In today’s Gospel, we see two groups of equally rich folks.
In the first group are wealthy people who have gained their riches through
human strategies, like hard work, inheritance, investment, and the like. We will name these people the “Christian
rich.” (We are not speaking, of course,
of people who have gained their wealth through theft, dishonesty, corruption and
the like.)
The second group of wealthy people mentioned in the Gospel
are those who have gained their riches as a gift from Christ. They are
disciples who have given up everything to follow the Lord. He tells them that
they shall have–-even in this life–-hundreds more of brothers, sisters, houses,
etc., along with persecution. We will call this group the “Consecrated rich.”
Jesus says, in the Gospel today, that no wealthy person,
regardless of the source of the wealth, can easily enter the Kingdom of God. He
says it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a
rich person to enter into the Kingdom.
Bible commentators explain that the “eye of the needle” Jesus
is referring to was a very small gate in the Jerusalem wall. If a merchant with
his well-stocked camel wanted to enter the city through that gate, he would
first need to unload the camel, get the camel to its knees to crawl through the
gate and stoop himself to get through it. How difficult it is for a camel to get through
the “eye of the needle.” But, Jesus
says, it is far easier for that camel to pass through the “ eye of the needle,”
than for a rich person to get into heaven.
It is interesting, isn’t it, to consider that our two groups
of rich are both subject to this saying. It is as difficult for the “Christian
rich” as for the “Consecrated rich” to enter the kingdom of God. Both must pass
through the “eye of the needle.” There
are no exceptions.
I would like to suggest that the “eye of the needle” today
is the brothers and sisters of the human family. In order for any wealthy
person to enter the kingdom of God, he or she must pass through the brothers
and sisters, and particularly those who are poor and in need.
The “Christian rich” who wish to enter the Kingdom will find
themselves generously unloading their wealth to meet the needs of the brothers
and sisters who are, in fact, their gate to heaven. This is very much in the
spirit of Pope Francis. There is no question of condemnation of wealth here. It
is a question of the difficult passageway to eternal life. And that passageway,
the “eye of the needle,” is the brothers and sisters around us. It is not easy to unload the camel and stoop
to enter.
The “Consecrated rich” must also pass through the “eye of
the needle.” They have been gifted with great wealth of all sorts as a
consequence of their Gospel commitment. To enter the Kingdom, they must stand
with and for the poor. This is a challenging task, both personally and because
of the stress and opposition that comes from politics and cultural norms and the
often-heard “Gospel of prosperity.” The passage through the “eye of the needle”
for these “Consecrated rich” and their camels can be as daunting as the passage
way for the “Christian rich” and their camels. But there is no other entry except passing
through the brothers and sisters in need.
Knowing just how to unload the camel and stoop to enter is a
matter of wisdom. As our first reading in the liturgy today reveals, true
wisdom comes through prayer. Is not simply the product education and
experience. It is a divine enlightenment.
And prayer is precisely what we do at the Eucharist. It is a
privileged moment when we learn how to pass through “the eye of the
needle.” It is at the Eucharist that we
hear the Word, who is Wisdom, and are reminded again of the emptying of Jesus
on his cross. His total dedication and love to the brothers and sisters was
“eye of the needle” through which he wished to pass to enter into his
glory. The Eucharist speaks Wisdom to us.
Unless we live by it, we shall not enter the Kingdom of God.
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