Daily Catholic Lectio
Tue, 19 August ‘25
Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday
Judges 6:11-24a. Matthew 19:23-30
The Offer We often Refuse
1. Wealth as a Subtle Obstacle
Scripture: Jesus declares, “It is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 19:23). Wealth here is not only money or property but anything that gives us false self-sufficiency—health, intellect, status, or power. Like Gideon, who asked, “If the Lord is with us, why has this happened to us?” (Judg 6:13), wealth can blind us to dependence on God.
Church’s Teaching: The Catechism (CCC 2547) teaches that detachment from riches is necessary for discipleship. Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium warns that wealth can estrange us from both God and neighbour.
Pastoral Application: Today’s “wealth” may be smartphones, careers, or social recognition. When these take God’s place in our hearts, they become idols. We must ask daily: What possession is making me feel self-sufficient without God?
2. The Paradoxical Reward of Discipleship
Scripture: Peter asks, “We have left everything and followed you; what then will we have?” Jesus promises a hundredfold reward and participation in His reign (Matt 19:28–29). This sounds paradoxical: give up land, family, and comfort, and receive them back in abundance. The world sees loss; Christ promises fulfilment.
Church’s Teaching: Vatican II (Lumen Gentium 42) affirms that holiness involves self-denial for the sake of Christ, but it also brings joy and fruitfulness. The saints testify that surrendering earthly goods makes one rich in grace.
Pastoral Application: Many today reject Jesus’ “offer” because it is not immediate or material—it is eternal. Like investors who prefer instant returns, we cling to the visible rather than trust the unseen. True discipleship means embracing delayed gratification, knowing that God’s promise is secure.
3. Where Your Heart Is, There Is Your Treasure
Scripture: Gideon, though chosen, later led the people back into idolatry (Judg 8:27). His heart shifted from God to power. Jesus teaches that our true treasure is wherever our heart rests (Matt 6:21). If our heart clings to God, our wealth is heaven; if it clings elsewhere, that treasure will one day be lost.
Church’s Teaching: Gaudium et Spes (no. 37) reminds us that human progress without God becomes ruin. The kingdom of God is offered freely, but it requires a reorientation of the heart.
Pastoral Application: Each of us must examine: Is my heart anchored in God, or in things that pass away? If my treasure is in Christ, even losses in this life are gain. If my treasure is elsewhere, even gains become emptiness.
Conclusion
Gideon reminds us of our need for God’s presence, and Jesus warns us of the danger of wealth that isolates us from Him. Today Christ offers us an exchange—let go of what enslaves, and receive the hundredfold of eternal life. Too often this offer is refused. Let us pray for the courage to accept it, so that our hearts may find their treasure in God alone.
In sum, today’s Word reminds us that wealth can easily become an obstacle to following Christ. Gideon shows how human weakness still needs God’s strength, while Jesus teaches that true discipleship means letting go of self-sufficiency and trusting in God’s promise. What we surrender for His sake, we receive back a hundredfold. Our true treasure is where our heart rests—if it is in God, we gain eternal life.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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