Monday, August 17, 2020

 

Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

 (Ezekiel 24:15-23; Matthew 19:16-22)

 The rich man in today’s gospel leaves Jesus.  He probably despairs of ever attaining eternal life.  Thoughtful commentators have observed that the command to sell everything is made to him as an individual.  Everyone does not have to do as much to be saved.  Yet Jesus’ teaching on the need to be poor to enter the kingdom has universal application. 

 People make themselves poor by making God, not their money, the highest priority in their lives.  They are to recognize that all good comes from Him and to love Him above all.  Such a disposition requires using one’s resources to care for others.  It also presumes humility in one’s relations.  Jesus does not want his community of disciples to lord over one another as the rich sometimes do. 

 Too often we want to use our money or accomplishments to carve out standing in society.  We don’t want to give God thanks, much less recognition, for whatever good we have accomplished.  But only by doing so can we be children of God with a place in eternal life.