Homily for Tuesday, Week 20

Homily for Tuesday

20th Week of Ordinary Time

August 18, 2020

Matt 19: 23-30

Ezek 28: 1-10

Provincial House, New Rochelle, N.Y.

“We’ve given up everything and followed you.  What will there be for us?” (Matt 19: 27).

When we think of which of the apostles tried to get power and honor from Jesus, and the wealth that would go with power and honor, we think of James and John.  But today it’s Peter who demands, “What’s in it for us?”  At least, unlike the “sons of thunder,” he speaks, at least outwardly, for all of them.

Christ and the Rich Young Man (Heinrich Hofmann)

Jesus has issued a radical challenge—1st to the rich young man in yesterday’s gospel (19:16-22), then to all of his disciples today:  “It will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven” (19:23).  Like the rich young man who chose his wealth over coming along with Jesus, it’s too easy for people—us included, as Don Bosco often reminds his sons and as the Congregation keeps reminding us—to get sucked up with material concerns:  comfort, convenience, consumer goods, and so into a sense of self-sufficiency like that of the prince of Tyre (Ezek 28:1-10).

I don’t know whether anyone ran around in hysterics when the wi-fi was out after Isaias like teenager Jeremy in the comic someone enlarged and left on a dining room table.  (Being in the woods has its advantages because you know what you’ll be without.)  But don’t most of us sometimes lose our tranquility over assorted material concerns:  cars, food, wine, electronics, travel, the condition of the house and the property, etc.?

Of course we need material things, a lot of them in our time and place, to care for our material bodies and to carry out our ministry.  Some years ago one of our provincial chapters challenged us to distinguish between our needs and our wants.  We’d all agree with that criterion.

In fact, like Peter, we’ve given up everything to follow Jesus and seek souls:  Da mihi animas, caetera tolle.  So Jesus prompts us today:  What do we really need to live as citizens of the kingdom?  What do we really need to lead the young and others to Jesus?