Tuesday, August 16, 2022

 Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ezekiel 28:1-10; Matthew 19:23-30)

There is a debate within the Church about the quantity of people who will be saved.  Since Vatican II, many Catholics – ordinary people in the pew as well as theologians – think that most everyone is headed for salvation.  They sometimes say that we have to believe in a hell, but we don’t have to believe that anyone resides there.  More conservative types question this reasoning.  They take the gospel more literally.  In today’s passage Jesus is typically less sanguine about mass salvation.

His disciples are amazed when Jesus says that the rich will have trouble being saved.  They probably are not thinking the rich are better than others or that their wealth is a sign of salvation.   They are likely surprised with Jesus’ pessimism about the rich because the rich have money to pay for sacrifices.  Jesus thinks to the contrary.  He probably finds the rich presumption for thinking that they can buy their way into eternal life.  But he knows a sure way to receive the reward.  Those who make sacrifices for his sake will have eternal life.

As much as we love our family and friends, we should not presume that they will be saved.  Rather we should pray that they come to imitate Jesus’ humility and love.  Only by doing so can one hope to experience eternal life.

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