By Msgr. Joseph Prior • Posted October 11, 2024

(See the readings for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

“How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” Jesus says to his disciples after the encounter with the rich man. The man had approached Jesus with great respect. He “knelt down” before him and then asked: “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

The question is a serious one. The man knows its importance. There is also the possibility that he is anticipating Jesus’ answer, at least the first one. When Jesus tells him he should follow the commandments, the rich man readily and confidently answered, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” At this point, Jesus looks at the man and loves him.

Before he speaks, Jesus loves. He loves the man. Jesus knows that what he is about to say will be hard to hear. He knows that what he is going to ask will be difficult and challenging for the man. At the same time, he knows that what he will say is necessary and the path to life. So he speaks in love and says, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

The evangelist describes the reaction. The man’s “face fell and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.” The inner turmoil within the man is evident in his reaction. His “face falling” describes a response to a shock; this was probably nowhere in his mind when he had approached Jesus. The sadness comes as he is not able to do what Jesus asks. His possessions have a hold on him. He is not ready to give them up or he does not want to give them up. The sadness seems to indicate that something inside the man knows that he should give them up and follow Jesus, but he doesn’t.

Jesus is the way to eternal life. Jesus is the answer to the young man’s question. Jesus could have answered the question by simply saying “follow me.” But he doesn’t. The dialogue gives the young man opportunity to consider what he is asking and who he is asking.

Two contrasts highlight the struggle that the man’s riches present. The first is the man’s disposition before Jesus. When the rich man first approached Jesus, he kneeled. This is a sign of great respect and honor. Jesus is clearly someone whom the young man looks up to. He respects his knowledge of God and the covenant. He seeks his wisdom. His gesture may also indicate some sort of recognition of the other-worldly in Jesus. But at the end, he leaves. There are no indications that this is because he disagrees with Jesus or has had a change of mind but rather because he could not let go of his possessions.

The second contrast deals with his inner disposition. At first, he seems to be full of exuberance and energy which, at the end, is replaced by sadness. In a sense, the riches end up robbing him of joy, they rob him of life.

The first reading from the Book of Wisdom deems “wisdom” as something more precious than material wealth (“all gold, in view of her, is a little sand”), more valuable than power (“scepter and throne”), and even more important than health (“beyond health and comeliness I loved her”).

Wisdom is an attribute of God, a gift shared with man so that he might have help in living a good life. Wisdom helps him to navigate the myriad of choices he needs to make so that he may remain on the path of life. Jesus is the wisdom of God incarnate. Saint John describes him as the logos, the “Word made flesh.” Everything about Jesus (for example, but not limited to, what he says and does) is a manifestation of divine wisdom. So the author’s word’s extolling wisdom should aptly be applied to Jesus. He is worth more than possessions, power, and health.

After the rich man departs, Jesus speaks to his disciples. These are the ones who are already following Jesus. He first warns them: “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus knows the lure of wealth which can be attractive and deceiving.

Then, after the disciples ask, “then who can be saved?,” he responds, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” One way of reading this is to see God as providing a remedy, a healing that makes up for man’s weaknesses. Another way is to see God as providing strength for man to turn away from that which will hinder his following. Both readings are possible and both point to Jesus.

The passage ends on a note of promise. Following Jesus, staying the course, will bring life in this age and in the age to come. Amid all these good things Jesus also mentions “persecutions.” This might seem odd at first sight. The forces of evil abound, and they seek to destroy and rob us of life. Persecutions are one of the tools. The riches we receive in this life and in the life to come are eternal; persecutions may come but not even they can rob us of life when we follow Christ Jesus.

Jesus is the path to life eternal. We “follow” him and are led further and further into the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ encounter with the rich man may give us some insights to obstacles we face on this journey of life. For the rich man it was his possessions. For others it might be something else.

It can be challenging to move away from these things but not impossible. Our journey is to life, and the Way is Christ Jesus our Lord, and so we hear him say: “come, follow me.”

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Msgr. Joseph Prior is pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Penndel, and a former professor of Sacred Scripture and rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.