WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED?

Ez 28,1-10; C Dt 32,26-28.30.35-36; Mt 19,23-30
21 AUGUST
It is a right thing to give full light to the words of Jesus: “Truly I say to you, it is unlikely that a rich man will enter the kingdom of heaven. I repeat it to you: it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”. Who will enter the kingdom of heaven? Who will dwell in the eternal tent of the Lord? Who will be immersed in his divine light? The Psalmist had already answered this question unequivocally.

O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbour, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honours those who fear the Lord; He swears to his own hurt and does not change; He does not put out his money at interest,Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken (Ps 15 (14) 1-5).

I will sing of loving kindness and justice, To You, O Lord, I will sing praises. I will give heed to the blameless way. When will You come to me? I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will know no evil. Whoever secretly slanders his neighbour, him I will destroy; No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure.  My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; He who walks in a blameless way is the one who will minister to me. He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before me. Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, So as to cut off from the city of the Lord all those who do iniquity (Ps 101 (100) 1-8).

Tomorrow he will live in the eternal tent of the Lord who today lives in the tent of his Law, who lives according to truth and justice all his days. Here is the question that one must be addressed: can a rich dwell in the Law of the Lord? The answer is an absolute no. Why cannot he live? Because the Law of the Lord is his will, manifested to him day by day. When a man makes his God his wealth, he will always listen to the voice of wealth and no longer of the true God. In fact, this rich man does not listen to the voice of his God, but to the voice of wealth. Never might he live in the eternal tent of his Lord. The way to God’s tent is listening to his voice. When a man becomes a servant of wealth, he enters its slavery and imprisonment. He might never be free to listen to the voice of his God that calls him to give his life to him for the realization of his plan of peace, redemption, salvation and blessing.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, 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.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.

Then, is there no salvation for the rich? Jesus states that there is salvation. But we need a most powerful grace of the Holy Spirit, the only one that can change a slave heart of wealth into a pure, free heart, ready to surrender to the will of God. This is why the Church walks with two powerful gifts: the gift of the Word and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The more the Christian grows in grace and wisdom and the more he can pour these two gifts into the hearts. Together they are the ones that change a heart and orient it towards God.

Obedient Virgin, Angels and Saints make us grow in grace and in the Holy Spirit.