True Wealth

Aug 19: Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

I’m sure I’ve used this comic before, but Calvin & Hobbes was formative for my sense of humor and it it applies to today’s Gospel, so I’m using it again.

Reading I

Ez 24:15-23

The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, by a sudden blow I am taking away from you the delight of your eyes, but do not mourn or weep or shed any tears. Groan in silence, make no lament for the dead, bind on your turban, put your sandals on your feet, do not cover your beard, and do not eat the customary bread. That evening my wife died, and the next morning I did as I had been commanded. Then the people asked me, “Will you not tell us what all these things that you are doing mean for us?”

I therefore spoke to the people that morning, saying to them: Thus the word of the LORD came to me: Say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD: I will now desecrate my sanctuary, the stronghold of your pride, the delight of your eyes, the desire of your soul. The sons and daughters you left behind shall fall by the sword. Ezekiel shall be a sign for you: all that he did you shall do when it happens. Thus you shall know that I am the LORD. You shall do as I have done, not covering your beards nor eating the customary bread. Your turbans shall remain on your heads, your sandals on your feet. You shall not mourn or weep, but you shall rot away because of your sins and groan one to another.

Sometimes, a prophesy merely has to repeat what God tells them. But in the case of Ezekiel, he actually has to live the prophesy. His wife, "the delight of [his] eyes," dies at a young age. Yet, God commands him not to mourn.

Because the Babylonians are coming, and will soon conquer Israel. It's going to happen so fast, they won't have time to mourn, either.

His wife, of course, won't be there to see the conquest, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on your perspective.

Responsorial Psalm

Dt 32:18-19, 20, 21

R. (see 18a)  You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you.
You forgot the God who gave you birth.
When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathing
and anger toward his sons and daughters.
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“I will hide my face from them,” he said,
“and see what will then become of them.
What a fickle race they are,
sons with no loyalty in them!”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“Since they have provoked me with their ‘no-god’
and angered me with their vain idols,
I will provoke them with a ‘no-people’;
with a foolish nation I will anger them.”
R.  You have forgotten God who gave you birth.

The ancient Israelites didn't think much of Gentiles; they were basically non-people. But at this point in Deuteronomy, the Israelites have turned away from God to worship pagan (Gentile) gods.

What they don't seem to realize is that they are not special--God is. He is what has sustained them, and when they turn away from Him, they'll learn just how much more than "nothing" the Gentiles really are.

Alleluia

Mt 5:3

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

It is extremely difficult for a rich person to acknowledge they depend on anyone, even God. That’s what’s meant by “poor in spirit”—our dependance on God’s mercy is no different than a poor person’s dependance on charity.

Gospel

Mt 19:16-22

A young man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”

He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

He asked him, “Which ones?”

And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill; 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 of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”

Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Like Hobbes (the tiger, not the philosopher) said, “Maybe good is more than the absence of bad.”

Jesus didn’t condemn earthly riches as such; He had several wealthy disciples. But in this case, this rich, young man needed to sell everything to grow closer to God. We know this, because he was sad, despite having many possessions. His riches weren’t helping him any (probably because he wasn’t helping others with his wealth.)

Not doing bad things is a start; we have to do good, as well. But there is only One who is truly good—God. So we have to figure out what’s keeping us from Him, what’s blocking our path to God and eternal life. Wealth, fame, gossip, lazy internet scrolling, fancy food, drink, whatever it is. If Jesus Himself asked us to give them up, would we walk away sad?