THE WEALTH PARADOX
In today’s gospel Jesus declares: “It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:23). Christ does not canonize poverty or condemn wealth, He unmasks the danger of pride and self-sufficiency that wealth often breeds. The real issue is not riches but the heart that clings to them.
Wealth without grace is a burden; riches without humility are chains. St. Paul reminds us that “the love of money is the root of all evils” (1 Tim. 6:10). The problem is not possessions but when possessions possess us. The man who piles up treasures on earth without storing treasures in heaven is spiritually bankrupt (cf. Matt. 6:19–20).
Gideon in the first reading models holy humility. Though weak in his own eyes, God chose and empowered him. Likewise, those who are little in spirit become great in grace. Andrew Murray wisely said: “Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you.”
Therefore, true riches are not found in gold or estates but in Christ. We need wealth to live comfortably on earth, but we need Christ to live eternally in heaven.
Heaven is not for the wealthy or the poor—it is for the humble.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, teach us to value grace above gold, humility above pride, and eternal life above temporary pleasures. May we use wealth for Your glory and never let it master us. Amen.
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
