Daily Catholic Lectio
Tue, 20 August 2024
Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time – Tuesday
Ezekiel 29:1-10. Matthew 19:23-30
God’s riches
Today’s gospel reading invites us to reflect on the challenge of discipleship and the nature of the Kingdom of God. Jesus speaks to His disciples about the difficulty of entering the Kingdom, especially for those who are wealthy, and He offers a promise of reward to those who leave everything to follow Him.
a. The Difficulty of Wealth
Jesus begins by stating, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven” (v. 23). This statement must have been shocking to His disciples, as wealth was often seen as a sign of God’s blessing. However, Jesus is not condemning wealth itself, but the attachment to it. The problem lies in the way wealth can create a false sense of security and self-sufficiency, distracting us from our ultimate dependence on God.
b. The Eye of a Needle
When Jesus says, “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” (v. 24), He uses a vivid image to illustrate the impossibility of entering the Kingdom on our own terms. The disciples, astonished, ask, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus’ response is crucial: “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible” (v. 26). Salvation is not something we can achieve by our efforts or merits; it is a gift of grace, something only God can accomplish in us.
c. The Call to Radical Discipleship
Peter asks, “We have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” (v. 27). Here, Jesus assures him and the other disciples that their sacrifices will not go unrewarded. Those who leave behind possessions, relationships, or status for the sake of the Gospel will receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life.
This promise is not about a literal reward of material riches but about the richness of life in God’s Kingdom. Following Jesus may involve sacrifice and suffering, but it also brings a deeper, more lasting joy that nothing in this world can offer.
d. The First and the Last
The passage concludes with the enigmatic statement, “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first” (v. 30). This is a reminder that God’s ways are not our ways. In His Kingdom, values are turned upside down. It’s not about status, wealth, or power, but about humility, service, and trust in God’s providence. Those who seem insignificant in the eyes of the world may be great in the eyes of God, and those who rely on their own strength and resources may find themselves lacking when it comes to the things that truly matter.
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What we are holding onto might hinder our full commitment to Christ (Jubilee 2025 AD, bite 177).
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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