2025-08-19 - THE RICH CAN ENTER HEAVEN Author: Fr. Camilus Nwaigwe
19th August 2025
Tuesday in the 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Year I
_Judg 6:11-24_
_Mt 19:23-30_
In the *First reading*, we heard how God called the lowly placed and insignificant Gideon as an instrument for the liberation of His people.
In the *Gospel*, Jesus spoke to his disciples how difficult it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. He said, "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."
Friends, to understand the statement of Jesus today, we must first understand what the _eye of a needle_ means. There is a tradition that explained that it is a smaller gate-like opening in the city of Jerusalem that allowed people to pass through at night when the main entrance has been closed. While the camel could pass through the main entrance, it was difficult for it to pass through that narrow gate called the _eye of the needle_ at night. But if it must pass through it, there must be an unloading of whatever it is carrying. Also, to pass through the eye of a needle, that camel must take a crawling posture and on bended knee. This means that it is actually possible for the camel to pass through the eye of a needle but something must be done. It is possible for the rich to enter heaven, but as St. Anselm observed, "He must put down the baggage of sin...be on bended knee which is a sign of humility." The rich need humility and unloading to enter heaven.
Mind you, Christ is not warning us against being rich, No, he is warning us against having material wealth that can lead to attachments and distract us from loving God and our neighbor. He warns us against trusting so much on what we possess and being possessed by them.
And lastly, we must know that what seem difficult, is possible with God. While the earlier words of Jesus seem difficult, we must know that with God, nothing is impossible. This was the assurance Gideon who had very little expectation of himself got in the first reading of today. Know that everything is possible with God even when you think little of yourself.
*God bless you*
(Fr. Camillus Nwaigwe)
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