August 17

Tuesday

20th Week in Ordinary Time

►1st Reading: Ezk 28:1–10

The word of Yahweh came to me in these terms ‑ “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre:

You are very proud and self-satisfied:
‘I am a god, I sit like a god in the heart of the sea.’
Yet you are man and not a god;
would you hold yourself as wise as God?
You consider yourself wiser than Daniel;
no secret is hidden from you.
Your wisdom and know-how have earned you a fortune,
gold and silver flowed to your treasury.
Clever in trade, you became wealthy
and as your fortune increased,
your heart became prouder.
But now Yahweh has spoken to you,
to the one who is like God:
I am bringing foreigners against you,
the most feared of all the nations.
Their sword will challenge your wisdom and debase your refined culture.
They will bring you down to the pit
and you will die in the depths of the sea.
Will you be able to say ‘I am a god’
when your murderers are killing you?
You are a man and not a god.
You will die the death of the uncircumcised and perish at the hands of aliens,
for I have spoken – word of Yahweh.”

►Gospel: Mt 19:23–30

Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I say to you: it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, believe me: it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.”

On hearing this the disciples were astonished and said, “Who, then, can be saved?” Jesus looked steadily at them and answered, “For humans it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

Then Peter spoke up and said, “You see we have given up everything to follow you: what will be our lot?”

Jesus answered, “You who have followed me, listen to my words: on the Day of Renewal, when the Son of Man sits on his throne in glory, you, too, will sit on twelve thrones to rule the twelve tribes of Israel. As for those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or property for my Name’s sake, they will receive a hundredfold and be given eternal life. Many who are now first will be last, and many who are now last will be first.”

REFLECTION

“It is harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God
than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.”

The problem is not that
so many are so wealthy
The problem is that
so many are so poor in the land of the wealthy.
It isn’t having money that condemns us;
it is what we do with it that matters spiritually.