Sometimes its just better to take Jesus at his word, even when the saying is hard. To view the video of the homily, click here. For the whole Mass, click here.
So often, it seems that our modern society is motivated more by comfort than by truth. It is so much easier to do the comfortable thing rather than the right thing. So, it should come as no surprise that when the modern mind is confronted with an uncomfortable teaching of Jesus in the gospel, our first reaction is to try to explain it away so that we may remain in our “safe zone.”
Jesus’ teaching about it being as easy for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven is good example of this.
I remember when I was in high school, we were taught that in ancient Jerusalem, there was a small door off to the side of the city gate called “The Eye of the Needle.” Once the city gates were closed, it was possible for a camel to get through, but it had to do so on its knees. The implication was that we also had to “get on our knees” if we wanted to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s a nice thought, but completely unfounded in reality.
Fast forward a few years to the Angelicum in Rome and my class in the synoptic gospels with one of the foremost scripture scholars in the world. We came to this very passage in Mark 10, so I asked him about the whole “Eye of the Needle” thing.
His answer was curt: “Hogwash! There was no such gate! Jesus did not mince his words. Jesus was talking big camel, little needle, tiny eye.”
I was crushed. My whole life had been a lie.
Well, not really. If you think about it, what Jesus is describing is even more grace-filled than what a well-meaning catechist tried to tell us way back when.
So, what was Jesus getting at?
First, wealth in and of itself is neither good nor evil. It simply gives you more choices. Just like any superpower in the Marvel universe, one will have to decide if he or she will use it for good for evil.
Second, with ownership comes responsibility. Responsibility takes a lot of physical and psychological energy and most especially time. All too often this can become a huge stumbling block to following Christ. A golden lock and chain still binds. A golden anchor still keeps you from going anywhere.
Third, with the choices that wealth brings, the temptation to pride is so very great. And quite frankly, left to our own devices we won’t make the right choices. Jesus is right. Without God, “for human beings, it is impossible.”
But thankfully, “for God, all things are possible.” When Christ is at the center of our lives, we realize that we are not owners, but stewards. We are not saviors, but servants. This gives us the freedom to use the gifts we have been given in a way that is pleasing to the giver, and to build those relationships with Christ and others that truly are “treasure in heaven.”