The Same Territory As Before

Matthew 19:23-30

Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astounded and said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.’

This was the day when the Catholic Church remembered Mary Queen. One of Mary’s gifts to us is her example of pondering. We are encouraged to ponder today.

Once more we see Jesus challenging those with wealth and privilege. Until I/we/they see what it means to truly live out solidarity with the poor, I/we/they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

In the next few verses, Jesus will say that the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

It is the least and the lost and the last who are first in the kingdom of heaven.

The beginning of Luke’s Gospel introduces us to a young girl called Mary who is told that she will have a son and will name him Jesus …. (Luke 1:30)

She responds with a song of praise that includes the words … ‘He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly’

Lord – Help us who have relative wealth and privilege to see more clearly and to follow more nearly the way of Jesus.