AUGUST 18, 2026 FATHER JOHN BERTAO
After listening to this beautiful gospel, you might think that Jesus was, according to what we hear, that He was against wealth, riches, money, power.
Why would He issue such a strong warning to the rich of His time, perhaps even to the rich people of today, of our modern times?
We know that Jesus was not opposed to wealth, per se, nor was He opposed to the wealthy.
Jesus had many friends who were well-to-do, including a notorious tax collector, and you know who that was. Imagine. One of them even became an apostle.
Jesus’ warning reiterated the wisdom of the Old Testament, and I quote, “Better a poor man who walks in integrity, than a rich man who is perverse in his ways.” End quote.
I got that from Proverbs and from Psalm 37. Also, “Do not wear yourselves out to get rich. Be wise enough to desist, to give it up.”
The truth is we are all poor beggars in need of God.
Now, it’s true that Jesus seems to say that it is nearly impossible for a rich man who has a rich life to enter God’s kingdom. Also, we hear Jesus using the example of a camel.
A camel was regarded as the largest animal known by the Jews where Jesus lived at that time.
So many of you, I’m sure, have already heard this explanation, yet, it’s worth repeating it. That, to understand Jesus’ teaching, this is what we should know.
The phrase Jesus is using “the eye of a needle”, it could be interpreted quite literally, or it could be figuratively described as a narrow gate, or low gate, which were the city walls that was used for the travellers, when the larger public gate was locked at the night, for fear of anyone coming in to seize the town, it was the gate, where the people lived.
People had to lower themselves to enter the gate, so a camel would have to literally kneel down and crawl to get through the gate because it was so, so small, and so much lower.
You see, my dear friends in Christ, we all need to humbly kneel before the Lord and acknowledge our total need and dependence on Him.
We will not find peace, security, and happiness, that can satisfy our deepest longing when we’re high, lofty, and proud.
Here’s a quote from Saint Augustine of Hippo, who reminds us that we are all poor beggars of God. And he writes, “Even though you possess plenty, you are still poor. You go about the temporal possessions, but need God’s eternal love and richness. You listen to the needs of a human beggar, yet, you yourself are a beggar for God. What you do with those who beg from you is what God will do to his beggar.”
In other words, “you are filled and you are empty.” And he continues, “Fill your empty neighbour from your fullness.” “Fill your empty neighbour from your fullness so that your emptiness may be filled in God’s fullness.” End quote, and a personal example.
A couple decades ago, a parishioner invited me to lunch to a fancy restaurant. I was overwhelmed with the fancy chairs, the luxurious carpet, fancy wall paintings, and so on, and when I looked around and I saw the menu I was very uncomfortable.
For two reasons. First of all, the food that was mentioned in the menu I could not understand because there were fancy words. I don’t know what language they were in. However, when it came to the price they were very plain, very clear, very high, very expensive.
My host told me not to worry about the names or the prices, to order whatever I wanted, and once I understood what the names were in English, I was able to order what I wanted, what I liked. Still, afraid.
My host also assured me that they were not looking for any favours, just company, to enjoy a nice meal together. Yet, I still worried. I didn’t know what was going to be on that bill.
A few weeks later, another invitation came from the same person. I said, “yes,” provided that I got to choose the restaurant, the place, and that we took turns at who was going to pay the bill. We agreed.
We went to a local restaurant where everyone was laughing and having a good time and eating the best burger in town. A quarter of the price of the previous restaurant, you might say, “Each to his own.”
The short of it is, my guest did not know how to react, how to react to the friendliness of the staff, and, of the other guests who were there. The meal was great, but the conversation, the camaraderie was excellent.
People were laughing and enjoying, and, and just enjoying themselves, not putting anything against the fancy restaurant, but we were relaxed.
And that’s the idea of being with a friend. See. It was no big deal. It was just time to get to know one another, and share a meal, and great memories.
My dad used to say, “”Positions can create false security and independence.”
So, why is Jesus so cautious about wealth? Wealthy friends can make us falsely independent. And according to Saint Timothy, “Wealth can also lead us into harmful desires and selfishness.” Don’t let it happen to you.
Let me close with a short prayer for you.
Lord Jesus, You have captured our hearts, and opened to us the treasures of Heaven. May You always be my treasure and the light, and may nothing else keep me from giving You all of myself. Amen.
