One thing you lack

 

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 

 

 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

 

- Mark 10:17–31 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'  For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."  In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."  Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

 

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"    My study Bible notes that this man, unlike the Pharisees in yesterday's reading (above), does not come to test Jesus.  He comes to seek advice from one whom he considers no more than a Good Teacher.  Jesus' response doesn't deny that He is God, but it's designed to lead this rich young ruler to this knowledge.   

 

 And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Here my study Bible reflects that formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God.  This man had an earnest desire for eternal life, but he sensed that he still lacked something.  So, he continues to press Jesus for the answer.  

 

 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  To be perfect, my study Bible notes here, one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.   But nothing is gained except that such sacrifice is given freely.  Importantly, it adds that the specifics of how one follows Christ will be different for each person.  In this case, wealth had a great grip on this rich young man, and so his only hope was to sell and give away all his possessions.  According to St. John Chrysostom, my study Bible reports, to give away possessions is the least of Christ's instructions here.  To follow Him in all things is a far greater and more difficult calling. 

 

 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."    My study Bible comments that there have been various interpretations suggested for this impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  One suggestion is that the word wasn't "camel," but that there is an Aramaic word for "rope" that sounds alike.  Another is that the "eye of a needle" was actually the name for a city gate that was so small, a camel might barely squeeze if it were first unloaded of all its baggage, which thus symbolizes wealth.  In the Talmud there is the expression "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  Whatever the phrase refers to, according to my study Bible, it expresses the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  Note the word "attached" for therein lies the significance.  The disciples clearly understand this, for they ask, "Who then can be saved?"  But by God's grace, even what is impossible with men is possible with God.  

 

 Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  My study Bible says that Christ not commanding that believers divorce spouses and abandon children here.  It cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who says that this refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family.  It also means to accept that unbelieving family members may cut of ties because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  The promise to believers of a hundredfold of houses and of relatives is not meant in an earthly sense.  Rather, we gain the fathers and mothers of the Church, brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.  

 

How do we approach today's lesson in this story of the rich young ruler who goes away disappointed in what Jesus is telling him?  (We know that he is rich from this story, which appears in the other Synoptic Gospels as well.  St. Luke tells us also that he is a ruler, meaning he belongs to one of the religious ruling classes in the temple, as well as young; see Luke 18:18-29.)  It's first of all very important to understand that when Jesus tells him, "Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me," that Jesus is speaking out of love.  St. Mark has gone to particular lengths to tell us this plainly, that Jesus, looking at him, loved him before He spoke.  This is not a penalty, and it's not meant as sacrifice for the sake of sacrifice.  This particular sacrifice is meant out of the love Christ has for him, to save his soul, and so that he might become a disciple and find the eternal life with Christ that he seeks.  This wealthy young man has come to Christ in sincerity, asking Him explicitly, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" And Jesus gets very particular in responding, telling him exactly what he must do.  First of all, to follow the commandments known from the Old Testament Scriptures.  This the young man has done.  Jesus, loving him, then tells him there is another thing he must do:  "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  What does his wealth have to do with his capacity to follow Christ, to have treasure in heaven, take up the cross, and follow Christ?  In this case, we are given to understand, even through such great figures of the early Church as St. John Chrysostom, that this is particular advice for this particular young man and his own spiritual state, in the context of his own life and circumstances.  We know he's rich, and he's a ruler.  Jesus is in Judea, so he is likely from a powerful and well-known family.  Equally possible is that his wealth is inherited, and he belongs to what was understood as an aristocratic background within the Jewish community of the temple in Jerusalem.  So his identity as a person, we may assume, is bound up in his possessions.  But the real problem here is not those possessions; it is his attachment to them.  And we see that; we read in the story that even the prospect of eternal life, held out by Christ, cannot take the place of that wealth for this young man.  In our modern world, especially those of us in the West, but truly all of us connected to the world wide web, live in a context of consumerism.  We see objects before us that we would like, we read of delicious foods, we look at images of people we call stars who live in glamorous homes and with great wealth.  The images we choose to watch and look at on social media also form a part of the things which we consume.  And if identity was bound up in wealth and possessions for this young man, it is equally bound up and sold to us as consumers in the modern marketplace, which is now everywhere.  People may buy a type of sneaker because a famous person wears that shoe.  A priest in one of my local parishes once told me he was in the United States Air Force stationed in Iceland, when he realized the power of sales and the worldwide reach of social media.  At that time, the American basketball star Michael Jordan shaved his head.  All around him in Iceland, he immediately saw young men with shaved heads in response.  This is the power of the consumption of images and products with which we choose to identify ourselves; we seek images that convey something to others, and in the world of media in which we all live, such images are often sold to us as products.  Even in choosing a church, many people approach the problem in a kind of consumerist mindset; we decide what we want and don't want, what features we'll accept and not accept.  But Christ presents the opposite.  He presents sacrifice.  Perhaps the ancient world, before the type of development existing in our world today, understood sacrifice better than popular culture does now.  But sacrifice remains essential to our formation as Christians.  We learn to do without the things that tempt us, that harm us spiritually because -- like this rich young ruler -- we become too dependent upon them even if they harm our souls because of this attachment.  We place them before God, before what is actually better for us.  The whole notion of holiness, of what is sacred, comes from the context of being set apart from the world, consecrated for God's purposes.  There are things we need to keep away from in life because they jeopardize our relationship with God, and through God our relationship with the rest of the world.  Addictions of all kinds (including to shopping or gambling, for example) come to mind.  Toxic relationships that take us away from the things God wants us to focus on also are things we might have to sacrifice, just as my study Bible points out above.  In fasting, we learn what we can do without, that we can make disciplined choices to seek God first before other things we might think we simply can't live without.  We learn to resist temptation, and the delusion that tells us we need a particular thing outside the purposes of God in order to be whole.  Fasting teaches us to focus on an internal life, and be filled from the depth of consecration to God, first, and then all things can be added to us (Matthew 6:33).  We learn to refrain from acting out, to master our impulses, for strength under control is the true gentleness and meekness Christ describes, what we need to understand as grace and gracious behavior.  Here is where patience and humility are things we cultivate in order to better follow Christ and expand the true feeding of our souls and our communities.  The disciples recognize where Jesus has led them, saying that they have left all behind for His sake, and He promises a hundredfold of return of what they have left behind.  So it is with us, but that life as an exchange means we have to be willing to grow, to learn His discipline, to find His life that He has in store for us.  Temptation may sometimes seem as if all of this is simply impossible, a too-difficult struggle.  But, as Jesus says, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  There will always be new ways God calls us forward.  Let us look to that call for the better things of life He offers, and the freedom to be found in His teachings. 

 

 

 

 

 

With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible

 

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and mother.'"  And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 

 

 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  

 

Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

 

- Mark 10:17–31 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And he answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'  'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."  In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."  Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  And he took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

 

  Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  My study Bible comments that this man does not come to test Jesus, but to seek advice from one he considers no more than a good Teacher.  Christ's response doesn't deny that He is God, but is meant to lead this rich young man to such knowledge.  

 

 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and mother.'"  And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Formal observance of commandments, my study Bible says, does not make one righteous before God.  This man had an earnest desire for eternal life, but he still lacks something, and for this answer he has come to Jesus. 

 

 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.   Let us make careful note first of the text telling us that Jesus, looking at him, loved him.  So, Christ's teaching here comes from His own perfect love.  There is only one thing this man lacks.  My study Bible comments that in order to be perfect, one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  There is nothing gained except if this sacrifice is given freely.  Importantly, the specifics of how one follows Christ will be different for each person.  In this case, his wealth and possessions had a great grip on this man; such was his attachment that his only hope was to sell and give away all his possessions, as they formed a kind of stumbling block to the depth of relationship to God he sought.  According to St. John Chrysostom, my study Bible says, giving away possessions is the least of Christ's instructions here.  To take up the cross and to follow Him in all things is a far greater and more difficult calling.  

 

  Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."   My study Bible reports that various interpretations have been suggested for the impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  For example, that the word was not camel, but rope (as these sound alike in Aramaic); or that the eye of a needle was the name for a city gate through which a camel might possibly squeeze if it were first unburdened of all its baggage (symbolizing wealth).  In the Talmud, we're told, there is the expression "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  Whatever this phrase is a reference to, it's an expression of the impossibility of salvation for people who are attached to riches.  My study Bible says this is most clearly evidenced by the disciples' response, "Who then can be saved?"  But with God's grace, even what is impossible with human beings can come to be.

 

 Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."   My study Bible notes that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses or abandon children.  According to St. John Chrysostom, it says, this is a reference to keeping faith under persecution, even if it means losing one's family.  It also means to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  Believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but rather in a spiritual sense.  That is, fathers and mothers of the Church, brothers and sisters in Christ, houses of worship and fellowship.  

 

Christ speaks of taking up the cross, and following Him.  In this instance, He has just spoken to a well-meaning young man who has many possessions, and truly desires the kingdom of God.  This man has kept the commandments from his youth and is sincere.  But his many possessions are the one thing which keeps him from eternal life.  Why would this be?  We can speculate that perhaps his family name and identity are interlinked with those possessions.  Very commonly in Christ's society, high priestly families formed a part of an aristocratic landowning class.  Perhaps he is one of them.  Since he is called a "rich young ruler" in many versions of the Gospels, we can easily assume his possessions are inherited family wealth, and moreover he shares a position among the ruling families, perhaps in Jerusalem toward which Jesus is now setting out on the road.  It's quite easily possible that any such connections with this young man's "many possessions" could hinder him from freely following Christ.  Whatever the reason, this is Christ's teaching for him, His first commandment should he become a disciple.  The fact that he cannot do so teaches us that in taking up one's cross there is nothing that should stand in the way between us and Christ -- for if there is, we will not get to the goal of eternal life.  The disciples are at first stunned.  "Who then can be saved?" they ask.  Perhaps our first and greatest consideration of today's text should be a reflection on Jesus' words in reply:   "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."   People frequently take these words out of context, to apply them to miracles of manifestation, things which are materially impossible.  But we forget that Jesus is speaking of another kind of miraculous occurrence, and that is salvation itself.  The thing that is impossible with men, but not with God, is the saving grace that transforms us from those who are attached to all of our worldly ideas and circumstances, we who find it so hard to change, into those whom Christ would ask us to become and to be born into eternal life.  For this is what salvation is -- this is what it means to be saved in the context of Christ's words and teachings in our reading today.  When the disciples ask, "Who then can be saved?" they are referring to those for whom possessions are not a burden nor obstacle in following Christ, who can take up their crosses as He will, and follow Him.  This is what becomes possible with God which is impossible by human effort alone.  For if God is with us, all things become possible -- even those seemingly impossible things which God asks of us.  The disciples themselves say they have left all behind for Him, and in front of them is the long, long road of discipleship and apostleship, in which they will venture with the gospel message of salvation into all the known world.  Indeed their houses and relatives will continue to multiply into the future, even as they do now across the whole world -- houses of worship, mothers and father in the Church, brothers and sisters among the faithful.  Jesus says these things will come with persecutions, as they do even today for many of our brothers and sisters around the world.  That many who are first will be last, and the last first remains our warning for humility and patience in the long road of salvation, which is much greater and far-encompassing than you or I can know.  But we can put faith in Him that what He teaches is true, even as we ourselves find mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters and houses in the Church -- even that what we thought impossible becomes possible.  

 

 

 

 

 

With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible

 

 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You.  Therefore what shall we have?"  So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

 

- Matthew 19:23-30 

 

Yesterday we read that little children were brought to Jesus that He might put His hands on the and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."  And He laid His hands on the and departed from there.  Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"  So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."  He said to Him, "Which ones?"  Jesus said, "'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"  The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth.  What do I still lack?"  Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

 

  Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  My study Bible notes that there have been various interpretations offered for the impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  Perhaps, for example, the word was not "camel," but rather "rope" (a word that sounds alike in Aramaic).  Another has been suggested that the "eye of a needle" was the name of a city gate through which a camel might barely squeeze if it were first unloaded of all its baggage, which symbolizes wealth.  Even the Talmud has an expression, "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  But whatever this phrase refers to, it shows the impossibility of salvation for those attached to riches.  The astonished disciples ask, "Who then can be saved?" reflecting this understanding.  But by God's grace, even the things that are impossible to human beings can come to be.

Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You.  Therefore what shall we have?"  So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."   On a similar passage in Luke's Gospel (Luke 22:30), my study Bible cites the commentary of St. Ambrose of Milan:  "Christ judges by discerning the heart, and not by examining deeds.  So also the apostles are being shaped to exercise spiritual judgment concerning faith, and in rebuking error with virtue."  It notes that the apostles will judge not with earthly judgment, but rather by the witness of their own lives.  Since God's kingdom begins with the Resurrection of Christ, my study Bible notes, the authority of judgment has already been given to the apostles and their successors in the journey of the Church on earth (Matthew 16:19; John 20:23).  

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  Here my study Bible notes that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandoning children.  It notes the commentary of St. John Chrysostom here, in which St. Chrysostom comments that this refers to keeping faith under persecution -- even if it means to lose one's family.  It also means to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  Additionally, believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but rather in a spiritual sense; that is, the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.  

St. Ambrose's statement regarding judgment is an important one to take a closer look at.  It's quite simple and short, but it teaches us something very profound.  He comments, "Christ judges by discerning the heart, and not by examining deeds.  So also the apostles are being shaped to exercise spiritual judgment concerning faith, and in rebuking error with virtue."  There are two elements of this kind of judgment here; that is, the type of judgment which the disciples are being groomed to understand and to use.  This is the kind of judgment that can only come through participation in the life of Christ, and with the help of the Holy Spirit.  My study Bible elaborates that the apostles will judge not with earthly judgment, but rather by the witness of their own lives.  So let us take this together with St. Ambrose's comment, as quoted by my study Bible.  The first part of St. Ambrose's comment speaks of learning discernment, spiritual judgment concerning faith.  This truly depends upon what is often referred to as spiritual experience, for which the Orthodox Church venerates what are called spiritual elders.  That is, those with spiritual maturity gained through deep experience in the struggle for faith.  As my study Bible notes, this is not "earthly judgment" but spiritual judgment.  It is not judging according to appearances and all that is contained in appearance, but by the hard-learned lessons of spirit and soul, in the heart of faith.  St. Ambrose then mentions rebuking error with virtue, and this also is rooted in spiritual struggle, the spiritual struggle also known as "unseen warfare."  To rebuke error with virtue involves an awareness that the true judgment is not our own, but rather God's judgment.  And so, keeping that in mind, to live through virtue, through the works that are the fruit of the Spirit, the product of the spiritual life, is in itself to appeal to that judgment.  The witness to God's interior work within us will be those fruits of virtue that in themselves act as a kind of judgment, a witness against all that stands against the kingdom of heaven.  In the lives of the saints, we see this played out.  A martyr is a witness (quite literally, for this word μάρτυς/martyr means "witness" in the Greek of the New Testament), simply through the exercise of faith even to the point of death.  Such an act of supreme virtue is itself testimony against those (which may include the spiritual forces of evil) who hate the truth of Christ, and oppose the exercise of faith.  To rebuke error with virtue is in itself the judgment of the saints, the witness of their lives, as my study Bible puts it.  And so we should seek to do likewise.  For through this struggle for faith, even the capacity to sacrifice in order to more fully live our faith and this life of virtue suggested here, we root the kingdom of heaven more truly in this world.  It does not take an act of earthly warfare or earthly judgment to wage spiritual struggle, the "unseen warfare" of spiritual battle.  It takes living virtue, for in so doing, error is rebuked through the true judgment that lives in Christ and which is always present spiritually for all of us, whether we realize it or not.  In order to truly take this in, one must accept that there is the spiritual dimension to life, the Holy Spirit who is "everywhere present" according to an Orthodox prayer.  When we witness by living virtue, by following our faith even to the point of sacrifice (small or great), we witness to the Judge who is always with us, who told us in a recent reading, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."  Therefore, to practice virtue, to work the works of God by living our faith and through prayerful lives, we witness and thereby bring judgment into the world.  In living our faith, we gain spiritual experience and therefore discernment, and we build God's kingdom in this world.  So let us pause and imagine what a great responsibility this is, and how much God shares with us by allowing us to participate in Christ's life through living our faith, to participate in the life of the Kingdom.  For, as indicated in yesterday's reading (see above), Christ asks us for "treasures in heaven."  In this way, we build His kingdom in our world.  This understanding of how judgment works illuminates another aspect of Jesus' statement, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 

 

 

With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible

 

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'  And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

 

- Mark 10:17-31 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus and the disciples departed from Capernaum and came to the region of Judea by the other side (east) of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'  'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."  In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."  Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.   

Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God."  My study Bible notes that this man does not come to test Jesus, but rather to seek advice from one whom he considers to be no more than a good Teacher.  Jesus' response is not to deny that He is God, but rather designed to lead the rich man to this knowledge.  

"You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'  And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."   My study Bible comments that formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God.  It says that this man had an earnest desire for eternal life, and sensed that he still lacked something; therefore, he continues to press Jesus for the answer.  

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  It's very important that Mark tells us that Jesus loved him.  Therefore His next word to the man, to "sell whatever you have and give to the poor," and have treasure in heaven, and to take up the cross, and follow Him, is a product of Christ's love.  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus tells him to do these things "if you want to be perfect."   To "be perfect," my study Bible comments, one must willing sacrifice all and follow Christ.  Nothing is gained unless this is a sacrifice which is given freely.  The specifics of how one follows Christ will be different for each person, it says.  As wealth had such a great grip on this rich man (and his identity), his only hope was to sell and give away all of his possessions.  In the commentary of St. John Chrysostom on the similar passage in Matthew, he tells us that to give away possessions is the least of Christ's instructions here.  To follow Christ in all things is a far greater and more difficult calling.

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  My study Bible comments that various interpretations have been suggested for the impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  For example, that the word was not camel, but "rope" (which sounds similar in Aramaic); or that the eye of a needle was a city gate through which a camel might barely squeeze if it were first unloaded of all of its baggage, which symbolizes wealth.  In the Talmud there is the expression "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  Whatever this phrase is referring to, it shows the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  This is clearly evidenced, my study Bible says, by the disciples' response, "Who then can be saved?"  But by God's grace, what is impossible for human beings can come to pass.  

Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  My study Bible comments that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children.  St. John Chrysostom says that this refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family.  It also means to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  Believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but rather in a spiritual sense -- the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.

What do possessions mean to this man?  Certainly the disciples understand the great difficulty of salvation as reflected in today's story, as indicated by their question to Jesus, "Who then can be saved?"  The disciples, also, would go on to leave family and possessions behind for the sake of the gospel.  But this young man, whom we're told Jesus loved, is clearly tied to his possessions in a way that makes it impossible for him to think about parting from them.  Perhaps his whole identity, including that of his family and place in society, is likely bound up in those possessions, as we might assume they take the form of inherited wealth and property.  He is sincere, but the sacrifice Christ asks of him is something from which he doesn't want to part, and is dear enough so that he cannot make this decision.   If we look with a close eye on this text, we see that Jesus is reminding the disciples of words that He's said to them before:  "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."   In Monday's reading, we were told that the disciples were disputing among themselves while they were on the road about who would be greatest in the kingdom which they no doubt expect will be established by Jesus as an earthly kingdom of Israel.  Jesus said to them then, ""If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."   He then went on to vividly illustrate (in Tuesday's reading) the kinds of sacrifices they would have to be willing to make to be truly great in His Kingdom, and as those who will serve His Church as its leaders.  So, with this statement that "many who are first will be last, and the last first," He's reminding them of the sacrifices it takes to fully enter this Kingdom, and what will characterize those who will be "first" in it.  It is the attitude necessary for those who will be its most prominent members, its greatest and "first."  St. Peter adds a sobering statement that seems to take all of the apostles to the recollection of what their lives are now about, that they have left all and followed Him.  But then Jesus promises the "hundredfold" bounty of the Kingdom, the reality of His promise.  For me, this reality has proven true; although disappointed in "earthly" family or life in many ways, I have found great treasure in the Church, including the joy shared with many brothers and sisters and the love between them which is given by Christ, houses of worship numerous and more beautiful than one could have imagined, the glory of the saints and the illuminated beauty of holy books and holy art, and all the richness found in the Church in so many ways, so many languages, so many countless believers.  This is the glory of God and the Kingdom that we are given, but it does come with a responsibility, that we are asked to mature in Christ, to be willing to give up the things He wants us to leave behind, including those things that would seem to define our identity, things even that are precious to us.  As He illustrates in Tuesday's reading by speaking about amputation of hand, or eye, or foot, there are things that seem to be so deeply a part of us that they are inseparable, and yet we must decisively leave them behind.  These include selfish habits, those that hurt others, or in the case of this young man, the wealth that so has him in its grip, especially while he is yet unaware of the great joy to be found in faith in Christ.  Jesus does not minimize the difficulty!  We can be assured that He understands what He asks of each of us, and our own struggles in faith.  And yet, He calls us forward with Him, where all things become possible.

So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen

 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.  Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.  Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.  And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.'  So they went.  Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.  And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?'  They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.'  He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'  So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'  And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.  But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.  And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'  But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong.  Did you not agree with me for a denarius?  Take what is yours and go your way.  I wish to give to this last man the same as you.  Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?  Or is your eye evil because I am good?'  So the last will be first, and the first last.  For many are called, but few chosen."

- Matthew 20:1-16

Yesterday we read that Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You.  Therefore what shall we have?"  So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  See also Monday's reading for the story of the rich young man.

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.  Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.  Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.  And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.'  So they went.  Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.  And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?'  They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.'  He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'  So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'  And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.  But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.  And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'  But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong.  Did you not agree with me for a denarius?  Take what is yours and go your way.  I wish to give to this last man the same as you.  Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?  Or is your eye evil because I am good?'  So the last will be first, and the first last.  For many are called, but few chosen."  This parable is called the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard.  It is a description for the disciples of the nature of work for the Kingdom in the world.  My study bible says that the vineyard in the parable is life in this world.  The day refers both to the span of a single person's life and to the whole of human history.  The laborers are all the people in every nation of the world.  Each hour, it tells us, can refer to times in a person's life, whether that is infancy, youth, adulthood, maturity, or old age.  It also has a second meaning in the span of history -- it can refer to those called during the covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and finally Christ.  The generosity of God provides an equal reward both for early and late comers.  Jesus teaches that those like the apostles, who come early, should not be proud of their long service nor resent those who are called at the eleventh hour.  To the latecomers, Jesus teaches that it is possible even in a short time or at the end of one's life to recover and inherit everything.  In the early Church, this message was understood to apply specifically to the Jews (who were the first-called) and the Gentiles (those called later).  But in our time, it can be applied to those raised in the Church and those who find the Church later in life, both of whom receive an equal reward.  There is a renowned paschal sermon by St. John Chrysostom, recited each year in the Eastern Church at the midnight service of Easter as the day breaks.  It is based on this parable, applying it to the preparations of each person in approaching the paschal Eucharist.

So what does it mean to be a worker in this vineyard?  It means several things, as indicated by my study bible's notes and its use and interpretation throughout history.  For Jesus' immediate disciples, it no doubt functioned to explain to them their own place in the grand scheme of working for the Kingdom in the world:  there would be many who followed them.  Moreover, they themselves "entered into others' labors," as stated by Jesus after their encounter with the woman at the well in Samaria.  What we learn from these teachings is that we are not alone in our faith, not by a long shot. Whatever we do, whatever we understand, we build and are building upon countless others whom we don't know, and we contribute to this process for yet others to come.  But each laborer is worthy of his or her hire.  The same is true of those in all other nations, as preparation for such labor may come in many forms.  For the Greek-speaking world of Christ's time, in which Greek was the language of commerce, of literature, of all the sciences and philosophy, the Hellenistic patrimony was indispensable in forming the theology that would shape the church.  All of it would come into service for Christ.  As Christ Himself is the Person who is Truth (John 14:6), so whatever is true or good or beautiful can be a part of the labor into which Christ's workers enter.  The Samaritan woman did not know the fullness of the revelation to the Jews, but nevertheless she was ready for faith, as were her fellow villagers.  Our Church is in truth a multi-layered and multi-faceted and ongoing work of God, working through all of us, through those whom we don't know, through uncountable workers who've come before us and contributed each in his or her own way, and many more as well to come.  This is the true image of the Kingdom in the world.  Christ's teaching to all of us is that each may contribute to the beauty of His house, but only with the humility that teaches us that we each have our part to do.  The reward is equal.  This sets us on a par in that our true job is simply to focus on our part in this work, and to bear the burdens we're given and the yoke that is for us (11:28-30).  Let us look to the Master to teach us our particular work, and rejoice in the fullness into which we enter.

Who then can be saved?

 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You.  Therefore what shall we have?"  So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

- Matthew 19:23-30

Yesterday we read that little children were brought to Jesus that He might put His hands on then and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."  And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.  Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"  So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."  He said to Him, "Which ones?"  Jesus said, " 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' "  The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth.  What do I still lack?"  Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 

 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."   My study bible notes varied interpretations that have been given for this impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  Some suggest that the word wasn't came, but rather "rope" (which sounds alike in Aramaic), or that the eye of a needle was a city gate through which a camel possibly could barely squeeze if it were first unloaded of all of its baggage, which would symbolize wealth.  In the Talmud there is the expression "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  We also must take into consideration Jesus' gift for figures of speech, His prolific images given to us throughout the Gospels and in His preaching.  But whatever this particular phrase refers to, my study bible says, it displays the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  It's not a condemnation of rich people or wealth, but rather it is all about attachment and its difficulties.  (There are example of wealthy and powerful people who are holy in the Gospels, such as Joseph of Arimathea.)  The disciples respond, "Who then can be saved?" giving us a picture of the widespread application of difficulty conveyed here.  But by God's grace, even that which is impossible for human beings can come to pass.

Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You.  Therefore what shall we have?"  So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."   My study bible notes about judgment that St. Ambrose of Milan, commenting on Luke 22:30, writes, "Christ judges by discerning the heart, and not by examining deeds.  So also the apostles are being shaped to exercise spiritual judgment concerning faith, and in rebuking error with virtue."  They won't judge with earthly judgment, but rather by the witness of their own lives.  God's kingdom, it notes, begins with the Resurrection of Christ.  Therefore this kind of discernment (judgment) has already been given to the apostles and their successors in the journey of the Church on earth (see also John 20:23).

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  Christ isn't commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children.  According to St. Chrysostom, this is a reference to keeping faith under persecution, even if it means to lose one's family.  It also means to accept that unbelieving family members could be cut off because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  My study bible adds that believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense but rather a spiritual one:  the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.

So what is it about attachments that make them so difficult an obstacle to our faith?  Throughout the Gospels (and indeed, the whole of the Bible), we're given a message that our assignment in life is to choose what we truly love.  When Jesus is asked, "What is the greatest commandment?"  He responds with the first and the second: " 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'  This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (22:35-40).  The Cross offers us this choice of what we will love first, and what we receive in exchange, as Jesus teaches the disciples in today's reading.  Wealth not only symbolizes attachments, but objects that we covet or take delight in can either enhance life and faith or they can stand as obstacles to putting the love of God first, as Jesus does in enumerating these commandments.  In Jesus' teaching here, great wealth can set us up for tremendous difficulties in finding ourselves, our true heart, putting Christ first so that all else is put into appropriate perspective.  In the Gospels figures like Joseph of Arimathea or Nicodemus play an important role in Jesus' life and ministry (and at His death on the Cross).  The centurion of Capernaum is cited by the local elders as one who has "built us a synagogue" and "loves our nation," and Jesus says of him, "I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!" (Luke 7:1-10).  Even the family of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, Jesus' great friends, seem to be of high standing in the community and known to many in Jerusalem.  In John's Gospel, it is Mary who anoints Christ's feet with a very costly bottle of perfumed ointment (see John 11, 12:1-8).   All of this is to note that the Gospels do not bar those of powerful and affluent standing from faith.  Rather, those individuals who are distinguished in their faith and are in such positions are they who put everything in service to their faith in Christ.  They not only act in accordance with such faith, but they also risk everything they have, including public standing, for their love of Christ.  Their testimonies to faith are in all of their choices.   Of the centurion at Capernaum we know nothing of his subsequent life, but according to various histories, the rest of these figures went on to serve in the Church in one way and another, and presumably leaving their former lives behind.  But their wealth did not stop their faith.  Rather, all that they had, owned, and did was in service to that faith, and in the Gospels, their lives are transformed in service to that faith.  Each of us has things to which we are attached, things which we perhaps crave or intensely desire.  As to the rich young man in yesterday's reading, his wealth likely defined his identity and family standing.  The poorest among us may have some objects to which we cling as prizes.  But the story of the Gospels is the story of faith -- and perhaps the greatest secret of all is that when faith comes first, then everything else is our lives is transfigured with meaning through our participation in the Cross, and the life, death, and Resurrection of Christ.  That would include all that we have.  This is the powerful story given to us in the Gospels and through the testimony of the entire Church in all of its history.  When we're faced with choosing between what we have and what He offers, let us remember this and choose wisely -- or else the great wealth becomes the obstacle to everything we might have if one is willing to "lose one's life in order to truly find it.