What else to give up?

When the man confessed that he had been faithful to the commandments from his youth, Christ’s eyes reflected an expression of praise and sympathy. And yet, the Lord Jesus did not leave him in a state of good self-esteem. Despite being materially well off, this man certainly did not feel any lack; he wanted something more. Perhaps he realized that one could not rejoice so much in the treasures of this world when one wants to secure the prize of eternal life. And the Lord Jesus follows up this desire: of course, you will have treasure in heaven, but for this reason, sell all that you have and give to the poor. And at this point, the man’s good self-esteem ended. Jesus explains to the disciples more precisely what is at stake. Wealth in itself is not a bad thing. But as we hear, it is hard for those who rely on wealth to enter the kingdom of God.

Not wealth, but over-reliance on wealth, as some do, can be malignant. Material goods are positive values, they serve us, but it is not to be the other way round: one must not become a worshiper of them, a slave to them; wealth is a valuable thing, even a necessary thing unless one is blinded by it unless one relies on it entirely and puts all one’s hope in it. It is not that one should give away what one has, but that one should be willing to do so if necessary for salvation. He who does not feel able to do this gives evidence that he has become enslaved; wealth is so dangerous that it can deprive someone of his freedom. It may also fill a man with pride and self-confidence; someone may acknowledge that he can do without the grace and mercy of God: such a camel then lifts high his proud hump and does not press through that eye of the needle into the treasures of the kingdom. Before us on the altar is the pattern of Christ, who gave up all that he had that we might be able to enter the kingdom.