Ezek 28:1-10; Deut 32; Mt 19:23-30

Material to Spiritual

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. This passage challenges us to reflect on prioritizing spiritual values over material wealth. Jesus wants us to use material wealth for the benefit of spiritual values. We need to detach the material wealth and by using it, we have to make spiritual benefits.

In his apostolic exhortation, Gaudete et Exsultate, Pope Francis reminds us that true happiness does not come from wealth or material possessions, but from living a life of virtue and holiness. He cautions against the dangers of consumerism and the relentless pursuit of money, which can lead us away from the path to true fulfillment. Pope Francis emphasizes the importance of humility, simplicity, and generosity as essential virtues for a Christian life.

Saint Teresa of Calcutta, commonly known as Mother Teresa, devoted her life to serving India’s poorest of the poor. She famously said, “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” This quote challenges us to consider our motivations for wealth accumulation and to reflect on whether we are using our resources for the benefit of others. Saint Teresa’s selfless dedication to serving the marginalized is a powerful example of how we can live out Jesus’ teachings on poverty of spirit. We are called to examine our own attitudes towards wealth and poverty.

We are challenged to consider whether we are placing too much importance on material possessions at the expense of our spiritual growth and our relationship with God. By embracing the virtues of humility, generosity, and solidarity, we can strive to live more authentically as disciples of Christ, following in the footsteps of those who have gone before us in faith.