GOSPEL MESSAGE & RECORDING
There is a story of a priest who was advising his spiritual son. The priest asked his son “what are your plans for the future?” and the son responded, “to finish college then find a good job.” To this, the priest responded, “and after that?”, “to get married and to buy a home.”, “and after that?”, “to have children.”, “and after that?”, “live long enough to see my grandchildren.”, “and after that?” “well, Father, after all this, I think I will have done everything that I need and will die.”, and to this the priest asked, “and after that?”
So often do we live our lives according to the needs of our physical life. When we make plans, we think according to this life and seek after the things that are required to live a good life here on earth. We save for our 401Ks, for better and bigger houses, and for the next best thing with regards to today’s technological advancements. So often do we look towards building up our wealth in this world that we forget that we are merely sojourners, nomads who will pass from this temporary life into the next. We live our lives like the pharaohs from ancient egypt, thinking that we can bring our wealth with us into the next life.
Just like in the Gospel portion today, the rich young ruler does everything right. In another account we see the man coming and kneeling before Christ (Mark 10:17), and asking the right question. However, he did not find the answer that he was looking for. For he built up his fortune and was hoping to live eternally with his wealth. He was hoping to bring his wealth with him into the next life.
But notice what Christ’s response to his question is, Christ states that “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven”
Notice what is stated with regards to having treasure in Heaven. It is in the giving to the poor that we receive our treasure in heaven. Our brothers and our sisters are those treasures which we hold on dearly in Heaven. It is not merely a removal of worldly wealth that gives us treasure in Heaven, for we often think that the two are mutually exclusive. St. Basil the Great writes that. “He [Christ], therefore, does not bid us to cast them [our wealth] away as if they were bad, but to distribute them; nor is anyone condemned for possessing them, but for abusing them.”
What it means to abuse our wealth is when we store up our earthly treasures for the sake of satisfying our passions and desires. It is when we begin to believe that the wealth that we have is something that we made, rather than something which God entrusted to us. For we are called to be cheerful givers and people who give from their hearts. Again, it is not that being wealthy is necessarily a bad thing, but rather what we do with that wealth. For St. John Chrysostom writes that “The rich exist for the sake of the poor. The poor exist for the salvation of the rich.” Therefore, being stewards of the riches which God has given to you, multiply the wealth that you have. And I don’t mean this with regards to making more money. What I mean is building up our treasure in Heaven, which is every person on this earth who will listen to the Good News of the Gospel. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, reach out and touch the lives of those around you, and this is not limited to just Orthodox Christians, but for all people. With your love for one another, bring all those around you with you into the Kingdom and become wealthy with the greatest treasure in that Kingdom, love.