October 13, 2024
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Today’s Gospel (Mk 10:17-30) might be difficult to process for those who have all of their financial needs met and live relatively comfortable lives. But there is more than one way to look at its meaning in order to gain a better understanding and acceptance of its message. This can come from considering the words of Jesus and the different ways we can appreciate God in our lives as we seek to live the Gospel message.
We see this when we start with the First Reading from the book of Wisdom (Wis 7:7-11). It is a passage attributed to Solomon who was considered to be the wisest king in Old Testament history. In the beginning verses not read today Solomon admits that he is an ordinary man like any other man. He says, “I too am a mortal, the same as all the rest.” (Wis. 7:1a).
But then Solomon says he prayed for wisdom, and he was thus granted prudence and discernment. Using the feminine pronoun for wisdom Solomon recognizes that she is better than any other good things he might obtain. These include his scepter and throne, possessions like gold, silver, or precious gems, and health and physical attraction. Solomon realizes that riches are unimportant and cannot compare to the spirit of wisdom or having knowledge of the ways of God.
Yet, in the passage Solomon admits that he also received “all good things” and “countless riches” along with wisdom (Wis. 7:11). And, sadly, when we look at what happened to Solomon in the Old Testament, even with all of his knowledge and understanding, in the end he would fail. The distractions of this world would be too great for him. He committed grave sins against the Lord. He worshiped false gods and amassed more wealth than any other king in Israel. Because of this he fell out of favor with God and his legacy was ruined.
The young man in the Gospel is a lot like Solomon. He thinks he knows everything needed to enter the kingdom of God. But he wants to make sure, so he rushes up to Jesus and says, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mk. 10:17b).
Jesus suspects the young man is being adversarial like the Pharisees who often tried to trap him, so he rebukes the lad for referring to him as “good teacher.” Then he proceeds to remind the young man of some of the commandments, like murder, adultery, theft, fraud, untruthfulness, and parental respect. In response the young man claims that he knows and has followed all of these commandments saying, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” (Mk. 10:20).
At this point Jesus softens his tone towards the young man realizing he is being genuine. He looks at him with love, but he also gives him a seemingly impossible task, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” (Mk. 10:21).
Of course, the young man goes away very sad because he has many possessions, and he cannot imagine giving up all of his wealth to follow Jesus. Jesus then looks around at his disciples and reinforces for them how difficult it is for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God. Using a shockingly impossible metaphor he says, “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mk. 10:25).
The disciples are astonished at what Jesus has said. This is because in their day riches were considered to be a blessing to those favored by God. Now Jesus is contradicting this belief by going to the opposite extreme. He claims that wealth and power make it utterly impossible to enter the kingdom of God. Making his point, he guarantees Peter and the others that because they have given up everything to follow him, they will receive twice the reward in the age to come.
But here’s the catch. Peter and the disciples had undertaken an itinerant lifestyle to follow Jesus. However, this is not something that most of us are able to do. We aren’t physically walking with Jesus like they were. We have obligations to live up to and families to support. And we want to make sure they live as comfortably as possible. Therefore, the question still looms. The question that Peter asks. Perhaps the question that the young man in the story asks. Probably the question that many hearing this Gospel today ask, “Then who can be saved?” (M. 10:26b).
The answer is obvious. Anyone and everyone can be saved when we realize that it is through no effort of our own that this occurs. Rather, it is through the actions of God that we are able to enter HIs kingdom. If only we put our distractions and preoccupations with wealth aside and make our priority coming to know the divine gift that God has given us through his son Jesus. Then earthly cares no longer become obstacles to our faith, and salvation comes as Jesus has promised, because “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” (Mk. 10:27).
