Hard for Rich to Enter Kingdom of God

[Bill_Martin]

Remember that after he says this, the apostles ask who can be saved. His answer is that for men it is impossible, but for God, all things are possible.

This last part seems to get lost in our desire to demonize the rich. All things are possible with God.

 

[Jim_Baur]

I cannot read the earlier posts, if this repeats, I beg your forgiveness.

We cannot enter. We can enter, but only with, by and through His love.

 

[jwinch2]

youtube.com/watch?v=wvlF_z3ez7g&feature=g-high-u

A good homily on the topic at hand.

 

[MarkInOregon]

As for the first part, I agree. Many could be more frugal without significantly impacting their lifestyle, but I don’t see the majority of people falling into that category. How many people do you know that have unused vacation homes, etc.? If you know a bunch, you must be hanging with very different people that I do.

They are clients–I don’t get to do a lot of hanging out with them–don’t have the money. Part of the question is – is the lifestyle we are living appropriate? I guess I think most people could be more frugal–I’d say a majority.

As for the second, the Church does teach in her social doctrine that wealth is not evil and is to be viewed as a blessing from God. Not that it makes anyone better or worse, but rather in that it gives them an opportunity to use that blessing for good. If people who are well to do started following this passage literally, sold all of their stuff, and became poor for Christ, who would be hiring new employees? Who would be left to give to charity? Who would have enough income for the government to tax to provide basic services? The literal interpretation for that particular man in the gospel is fine, because Christ could see into his heart and knew what that particular man needed to hear.

I think this misses my question. I am not saying we should make ourselves poor by quitting our work. My questions have nothing to do with “jealousy” of the rich. Or with becoming poor. My questions are more about how we use our income and about how much we accumulate/should accumulate–and how we use what we accumulate.

For example–the the president of a large wall street brokerage firm–will move in certain circles–and in order to effectively do his job he will need a nice suit, a nice car, a nice house, etc. These things will be expected of one in his position. He needs them to do his job in order to make money for shareholders and to provide jobs for his employees. I don’t deny him these expensive things–these “luxuries”. But it would seem to me a Christian would be called to have the lowest level of these goods required to function in that society–not the most expensive. I apologize as I have not stated that well but hopefully what I am driving at will come through. What about when he retires–as a Christian should he maintain that life style–or should he scale back? Does he still have the need for these higher level goods or could that money be put to a better use? When we accumulate large sums and expensive consumer goods, etc. that money, at least to me, does not seem to be being used in the furtherence of Gods kingdom. If I buy a $1 bar of soap or an $8 bar of soap I have still bought a bar of soap–and contributed to someones employment–the question is could I have put that $7 spent on the expensive soap to better use? Would this really have impacted my lifestyle?

Can one not work and support oneself at a modest level–for the work one does–using the excess to further the work of the kingdom of God?

To suggest that this implies a literal interpretation of this passage for all of us as it relates to our lives is not a good way to look at the passage. Either the Church is, or is not, the authentic interpreter of Sacred Scripture. I think I will go with what she teaches on the issue.

I am asking how we who are working and raising our families should apply this message this teaching to our lives–how is it to be lived out by the working man or woman. When I look around it seems that most of us, myself included, are doing a bang up job furthering our own lifestyles and maybe not so much furthering the kingdom of God.

Peace,
Mark

 

[BobCatholic]

A priest told me that the eye of a needle was the hole in a town gate where a camel could be pushed through at night when the gates were closed.

Yes and the details of this is as follows.

The hole is called “the eye of the needle.” If you have a camel full of possessions, and you wanted to get into the city, first you had to unload the camel, then going in ON YOUR KNEES enter with your camel, then go back and get your stuff.

The key part is ON YOUR KNEES.

Prayer and humility.