Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
Today in the Gospel Jesus has what seems at first glance to be some less than good news on who will be admitted to the Kingdom of Heaven. The rich young man goes away sad and disappointed. Despite his earnest desire to follow Jesus, he is not ready yet to do what is required. Jesus’ subsequent words to his disciples on the difficulty of the rich being welcomed into the God’s Kingdom leave them, and perhaps you, wondering who, if anyone, can be saved? As He sometimes does, Jesus buries the lead. The answer to that question, like so many others, is what He says next, “All things are possible for God.” (Mark 10:27) If God so wishes, a camel CAN pass through the eye of needle. God is not bound by our human laws, or even by our imagination. God’s imagination is infinitely greater. Since our salvation depends on this, we can only say, thanks be to God!
Jesus’ interaction with the rich young man is not a condemnation of wealth. It is a challenge to the individual to do the one thing he is not yet ready to do, to put his trust in God’s mercy and his focus on serving the poor. Indeed, Jesus assures the disciples that whoever gives up everything to follow Him will have it given back to them a hundred times more in this life, as well as receive the gift of eternal life. Perhaps the rich young man would have found himself even wealthier had he been willing to risk everything to follow Jesus, we will never know. What we do know is that Jesus loved this man, as he loves each of us, and therefore issued him a challenge that would help him grow, as Jesus so often does for us.
This week I invite you to join me in reflecting on the challenge Jesus is presenting to you at this moment, and how it may actually be a gift and blessing in disguise.
I wish you and your loved ones continued blessings of good health, new hope and great peace,
Fr. Paul
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