Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life

 

 Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to Him and said, "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."

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to 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,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."  So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when he hard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

And when Jesus saw that he become very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For 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 those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?"  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life." 

 

- Luke 18:15–30 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 

 Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to Him and said, "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."  My study bible tells us that infants are the standard of faith by which adults receive the kingdom of God, and not the other way around.  Quoting from the commentary of Theophan, it notes:  "A little child is not arrogant, he does not despise anyone, he is innocent and guileless.  He does not inflate himself in the presence of important people, nor withdraw from those in sorrows.  Instead, he lives in complete simplicity." 

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to 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,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."  So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when he hard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.  Let us note that by saying, "No one is good but One, that is, God" Jesus begins by turning this rich ruler's attention away from things that are immediately before him, and to the focus that is necessary to put all things in proper perspective and by which everything is measured and assigned meaning:  God.  My study bible says that this answer is designed to lead this man, who thinks that Jesus is simply a good Teacher, to the knowledge that He is divine.  This young ruler is spotless in terms of the commandments, as Jesus elucidates through His questions.  My study bible comments that formal observance of commandments doesn't make one righteous before God.  This ruler has an earnest desire for eternal life, yet senses that he still lacks something.  Hence, his desire to seek out Jesus.  The one thing he lacks is the willingness to sacrifice all in the desire to follow Christ, which must be a sacrifice that is freely made.  The specifics of how each one answers this call to follow Christ will be different for each person, my study bible notes.  In this case, this rich ruler was very deeply in the grip of his wealth -- and so his only hope was to sell and distribute all he had to the poor.  St.  John Chrysostom comments here that to give away possessions is the last of Christ's instructions in this story.  To follow Him in all things is a far greater and more difficult calling.

And when Jesus saw that he become very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For 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 those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?"  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."   

And when Jesus saw that he become very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For 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 those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?"  He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  There have been varied interpretations given for this saying by Christ, regarding the camel going through the eye of a needle.  Some suggest that the word "camel" is akin to the word for "rope" in Aramaic, and so a possible metaphor is made by the suggestion of threading a rope through the eye of a needle, if it's broken down into its threads.   Some say that the "eye of a needle" was the name for a city gate, which a camel could barely squeeze through if it were first unloaded of all its baggage, a symbol for wealth or possessions.  In the Talmud there is the expression "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  At any rate, concludes my study bible, whatever the phrase is reference to, it displays the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  This is made obvious by the response of the disciples, "Who then can be saved?"   But by God's grace, even that which is impossible to human beings can come to pass.  

Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."  My study bible notes that Jesus isn't commanding His followers to divorce their spouses or abandon children.  Once again, if we turn to the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, he says that this refers to keeping faith under persecution, even when it means to lose one's family.  It also means to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties with a believer 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 one.  We find fathers and mothers of the Church who've come before us and passed on their wisdom, prayers, and "treasures" as our inheritance, brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.

Losing one's family is a terrible thing to ponder.  But if we think about it, the earliest apostles and disciples either gave up or devoted all that they were, and all that they had in their lives, to the purpose of following Christ.  Peter, apparently, had a family home and even an extended family.  But all of it was put to use in serving Christ and this earliest movement of the Church.  In this passage, we find that Peter had a mother-in-law who lived with him in the family home, and who was privileged also to serve Christ.  This family home, which it is quite possible was also shared with Peter's brother Andrew, the first-called apostle, became a sort of headquarters for Jesus' Galilean ministry, and thus we may conclude that it is yet one more possession which went into the service of Christ's Church.  Elsewhere, contrary to this example where family and possessions become a part of the ministry of the Church, Christ warns that divisions will come over Himself and His gospel, that "father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law" (see the passage at Luke 12:49-53).  But outside of both of these striking pictures of family and home either serving ministry, or separated from oneself because one chooses to follow Christ, there are more diverse and subtle ways in which today's reading comes into play in our lives.  Most frequently, we will find that the journey of faith in Christ becomes a lifelong work of restructuring life and our ways of thinking, discarding old ways of thinking and being for the ways in which our prayer lives come to shape us, and give us new choices to make.  Many times this will mean leaving old acquaintances behind, as we no longer share the interests that bound us once before, or conflict becomes inevitable.  That may be over things as stark as habits like drinking or partying of a different kind.  It might be separation because one no longer feels that the habit of gossip is worthwhile.  Things that once bound us no longer will.  Other ways of division are more subtle:  abuse or bullying within a family is no longer as tolerable as it once was.  One may not desire to gloss over longstanding destructive habits, preferring instead to speak up where change and healing is necessary so as to stop the deterioration of loving relationships.  Once may choose to sever them if there is no hope of anything but destructive behavior.  These things can take on a guise of modern types of conflict due to psychological growth, or a need for independence -- but I have found for myself that they also come in the form of spiritual maturity, a need to follow where Christ leads and to make the difficult choices to put other things secondary to following Him.  Christ, as indicated in the passage with the rich ruler, will lead us to shift our entire outlook on our possessions, the need to put them at the disposal of where our spiritual life takes us.  Indeed, we simply might not feel comfortable unless the goals for our lives reinforce the spiritual message of the gospel, and lead us in the direction of shoring up and practicing our faith, cementing our commitment -- and releasing habits and practices, and even old ties that bind, when they stand in the way of a deepening growth of spiritual life in Christ.  Let us consider, when we think about these things, that Christ most of all leads us toward the righteousness of love.  That is, we may need to separate from others for our own, and even their own, good.  If we are serving Christ, then our deepening need for His kind of love may in fact be what is leading the way to a desire for more fruitful and loving relationships, and not settling for what is unrighteous and harmful.  In any case, a practice of forgiveness accompanies where He leads us, whether or not others understand it.  The deep need for peace in Christ is also accomplished through prayers for enemies and those who hurt us; all of this teaching is a part of the whole, and so the things we give up come in that context of Christ's love, in understanding the "manner of spirit we are of" (Luke 9:55).  Sometimes, it is painful to leave relationships behind, as we don't have control over the abusive behavior of our loved ones.  But it all comes in the context of Christ adding unto us.  Without the spiritual joy and depth of richness we inherit, none of this would be happening, nor would it seem possible.  Let us consider His words and teachings, and the love in which they are couched, the love through which they are taught.

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 left Capernaum and 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 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  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.'"  And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  This rich young man comes to Christ to seek advice, as if from a good Teacher.  He comes running to Christ, suggesting how deeply he wants this advice.  He kneels before Jesus in respect, but understands Him only as a teacher, not as the Christ.  However, he is sincere, unlike the Pharisees in yesterday's reading (above) who come simply to test Jesus.  We can assume that he comes from a landowning family, perhaps one of the aristocratic class of Jerusalem who formed part of the Council.  My study bible says here that Christ's response to him does not deny that He is God, but is designed to lead the rich man to this knowledge.  The commandments given to Moses he has kept all of his life -- but what is made clear by this passage is that formal observance does not make one righteous before God.  My study bible comments 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.  Let us note that Mark tells us Jesus loved him.  It gives us a clue as to the man's sincerity in seeking out Christ.  My study bible comments that to be perfect, one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ, and that this sacrifice must be made freely.  It's important also that it notes that whatever is specifically asked of each one will be different for each.   Wealth had a great grip on this rich man; my study bible suggests that his only hope was to sell and give away all his possessions.  St. Chrysostom writes that giving 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?"   Note that the disciples are astonished at Jesus' words.  But Jesus emphasizes the point with a vivid metaphor.  My study bible notes the varied interpretations suggested regarding this image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  Some have stated that the word for camel in Aramaic resembles one meaning "rope" -- and so the analogy with the eye of a needle is closer if one thinks of unraveling the threads that comprise the rope.  Others have stated that the eye of a needle was a city gate, which a camel could barely squeeze through if it were unloaded of all of its baggage.  In the Talmud, my study bible notes, there is a similar expression, "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  But however we read this passage, Jesus is clearly conveying the difficulties, even impossibility, for any of us attached to riches.  Considering the wealth and availability of goods pursued in many of our societies today, this remains a strong teaching for all of us.  Again, we note the repeated astonishment of the disciples, asking, Who then can be saved?  The difficulty has always been with us, and emphatically remains so.

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."   Here is another emphatic promise from Christ:  with God all things are possible.  Through God's grace, what is impossible to human beings can come to pass.   The apostles "come to themselves" with Peter speaking for them:   See, we have left all and followed You.  Jesus gives another promise, one of an exchange, receiving a hundredfold in exchange, plus persecutions, and eternal life.  But yet again, He emphasizes the central importance of humility, repeating a teaching from Monday's reading, in which Jesus said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all" (Mark 9:35).

What is interesting about today's passage is that we tend to view it as a scathing indictment about possessions and the wealthy, but in effect, this is not quite what is presented to us.  The text tells us that Jesus loved this rich young man, and the advice to give away what he owned was loving advice -- it was the one thing he lacked.  The emphasis here is on detachment from anything that gets in the way of faith.  That is, there is one thing necessary (Luke 10:42), that comes first (Matthew 22:37).  Today's teaching is quite similar to the earlier ones from the week, in which Jesus gave the apostles images of self-mutilation, suggesting that it is better to enter life maimed and without a hand or foot or eye, rather than harming one of the littlest ones who will be in their charge.  That also was an admonition to detachment, of the strongest kind, using the images of body parts to convey an impression of personal habits or desires that we need to cast off in order to truly follow Him (see Tuesday's reading).  In each of our readings for the week, Jesus has spoken to us about attachments, and the need to allow God in first before everything else.  St. Paul writes that "the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12)  That is, our spiritual need goes deeper than anything else, and that which would separate us from salvation will be rooted out even to the greatest depth within us.  What we remember, however, is Jesus' promise of exchange.  We exchange one way of life for another, one way of looking at life for another, one set of attachments for a deeper reality grounded in the energies of God, to which all else will be added.  But we will be changed, our dependency will be upon something other than that which we think we possess.  This is the exchange of life He promises, and it is a change of life indeed.  Let us pray for our own detachment, which can be painful and difficult, even a frightening process.  Jesus repeatedly says to the disciples, "Do not be afraid."   But joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5).  We don't know what life this rich man, beloved of Christ, could have had as one of Jesus' followers. We do know that he went away sad.  As St. Chrysostom writes, it is by no means an easy thing to give up the things we're asked, internal and external.  Let us pray for the courage to follow, for ourselves and others, for with God all things are possible.

The things that are impossible with men are possible with God

 Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to Him and said, "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."

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to 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,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."  So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me."  But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.  And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For 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 those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?"  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

- Luke 18:15-30

In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave us the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican.  He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

  Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to Him and said, "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."  My study bible tells us that "the blessing of children by respected rabbis was customary.  Jesus uses the image of the child to convey the ideal of childlike simplicity and humility required to enter the Kingdom."  As we are on the approach to Jerusalem, Jesus prepares His disciples repeatedly, and in different ways, for the life ahead, after His death, Resurrection, and Ascension -- when they will be without Him in the flesh.  Here is another teaching about our attitudes, and of those who will come to receive and enter into this Kingdom.  He has just told the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican; here the image of the child gives us a fuller picture of what it is to have humility before God, to be open to God's way and teachings.

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to 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,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."  So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me."  But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.  My study bible says, "A rich ruler is challenged by Jesus not only to observe the Ten Commandments but also to sacrifice all things and follow Him.  St. John Chrysostom teaches that because Jesus loved the man, He named these conditions for his particular need."  It's very interesting that my study bible should quote Chrysostom, and that St. Chrysostom spoke of this man's particular need -- for which Jesus' particular teaching comes.  St. Chrysostom was one that always emphasized the care of the poor in community, and railed in his homilies against the excesses of the wealthy and powerful (which, in fact, led to his martyrdom).  This saint felt that excess spent on the powerful meant taking food out of the mouths of the poor in community.  And yet his insight is clear here:  this man, although righteous (there are slight hints of the Publican here, but only by reference to the good things he actually does), has need of detachment from his riches.  In this Kingdom, it is all or nothing.  That is, God calls us to love with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, and when we have loved with part of ourselves, we will be called to become "all in."  The rest of whoever we are will be called into this place of healing and transformation; we can't leave any part of ourselves behind.  Just as Chrysostom himself spoke out of love for his flock, so the insight is clear:  Jesus gives this teaching from love!

And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For 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 those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?"  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  My study bible says, "God's power can save even a rich man.  And those who have turned their backs on riches and forsaken earthly goods altogether for the cause of the Kingdom will reap abundant rewards from God."

Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."   My study bible says that "more in this present time does not necessarily signify more material things."  It's a temptation to interpret it that way!  But "many times more" speaks of the abundant life we're promised by Christ.  In the Greek it almost suggests a manifold interweaving and creation of abundance into the life that we do have!  Let us remember, as my study bible suggests, the spiritual gifts and new avenues open to us through faith.  We have only to look at the lives of these saints, Peter and the other apostles, to see how that manifested in their lives.

Let's take this phrase from Jesus, His teaching in today's reading:  "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  If we apply it to the rich ruler in this story of today, we'll find that God is the transformer and healer.  God makes possible the impossible, the things we think we absolutely can't do or bring ourselves to do or to accept, God makes possible for us.  Faith gives us the strength to go where we need to go, to do the things we need to do that God calls on us to do.  (We recall Jesus' recent teachings on forgiveness in the Church, and the response of the apostles:  "Increase our faith!")  Gregory of Nazianzus, another Father of the Early Church, wrote about Jesus' Incarnation and its importance to us, but in particular there is one thing he said which applies to the "whole" of us as human beings:  "That which He has not assumed He has not healed; but that which is united to His Godhead is also saved."   So, just as it's essential that we understand Jesus' full humanity, it's clear that the purpose for this understanding is so that we ourselves are healed.  That is, to quote another early Father (Athanasius), God became human so that men could become like gods.  Here, the call to the wealthy -- that all things are possible with God -- is precisely this:  a call to union, to the possibilities of healing in us that God creates through "assumption" -- through our giving of ourselves to the Lord.  It doesn't matter what it is that we are attached to, if there's something that keeps us from God, some part of ourselves our prayer hasn't touched, our "dialogue" with God, then that part of us just hasn't been healed yet.  We remember yesterday's reading, and the prayer of the Pharisee which was really a monologue with himself, while the prayer of the Publican was a true dialogue with God, an encounter.  This is how we are healed.  I find there's always something else, something new, some part of myself with which I may be uncomfortable or for whatever reason haven't really touched on in prayer.  God will always call us there!  For me, it's a lifetime process, always evolving.  Let's remember this story, and let's remember about faith and how it calls us -- and that this is the way that "the things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  We come to Him as a little child, open to our own healing, His Way.