Proper 23.B.24
Mark 10:17-31
The Rev. Melanie McCarley
This morning I awoke to the sound of my iphone alarm in the rectory—a lovely home to live in with seven bedrooms—a rather ridiculous size for two people and their cats. I took a shower with hot running water and put on these clothes—which may not be the most stylish, but were not inexpensive.
I went to the kitchen, enjoyed my breakfast from a full fridge and pantry and rehearsed my sermon which I wrote on my Apple laptop.
And now I am preaching on the story of a rich young man who comes to Jesus asking, ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?” to which Jesus responds, “Sell all you have, give the money to the poor, and come, follow me.”
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews was spot on with these words: “Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart….Before God no creature is hidden, but all are naked.”
In fact, I am numbered among the most wealthy people in the world, as I suspect, are you. If you go to the “givingwhatwecan” website and enter your post-tax income, you will most likely discover the same—that your income here in the United States of America places you in the top 1% of the world’s wealthiest people.
This is something I find difficult to comprehend, given my context. Many of my friends hold far more prestigious positions and earn far more than myself. So, it’s easy to lose perspective of the fact that I, an Episcopal priest, serving a Boston suburban parish, am, from the perspective of the world in which I live, almost unimaginably wealthy.
So, if I tell you now that the story of the Rich Young Man meeting Jesus in the Gospels makes me uncomfortable, perhaps you can understand. Perhaps you can relate.
Jesus continues by saying: “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!... It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” In other words, it’s really not possible. And if this doesn’t make you quail, even a little—well, you haven’t been listening.
There are two things saving this lesson from being nothing but bad news for the wealthy. First, Jesus loved that rich young man, beset with many possessions. And secondly, there are the words which Jesus speaks after issuing the impossible task of a camel passing through the eye of a needle: “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
But don’t think for a moment that this gets those of us who are wealthy off the hook—safe with our 401K’s, Trusts and Savings Accounts. For I believe the Gospel is calling us to more. Remember, that rich young man, with all of his possessions; he leaves Jesus grieving, for the weight of what he has, has also tamped down the joy that could be his in this life, if only his grip on what he had could be lessened. Remember, this young man is serious about his faith. He cares—just not enough to make a leap. I imagine the life before him: Despite the beautiful clothes, power and wealth, he would always know that something vital, something essential to his overall well-being, peace and contentment, was lacking—something connecting him with the Eternal, with compassion, with the mystery of new life that would be found in the cross---a treasure deeper, higher, broader and more dense and glittering that he could imagine or possess.
Before that young man, and before us all, really, are a host of choices. Being graced with much—what do we do with what we have? What does faithfulness for those of us who have much look like?
The great Hindu spiritual leader, Mahatma Gandi was once criticized by those of his own faith for helping people in the caste system derisively called “untouchables.” “You should not help them. This is their karma,” said the critic.
“You do not understand karma,” replied Gandi. “The ‘Untouchables’ are there for you. How you respond to them determines YOUR karma.”
For those of us who bear the name of Christ, we too are challenged to find ways to lessen inequality and extend the grace of compassion. Within my lifetime, I have seen the gap between the rich and poor widen exponentially. The Economic Policy Institute reports that CEO pay has skyrocketed 1,460% from 1978 – 2022 while worker pay has risen just 24% in comparison. There’s more wealth now concentrated in fewer individuals than ever before in our history. In places such as Boston and Dedham there is a housing shortage where rents have outpaced the ability of lower-paid workers to afford. The high cost of health care and inflation have made life more difficult for too many in our society. And imagine, what life must be like now for the poor in Florida who, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and Milton, do not have insurance and have lost their homes and jobs.
I don’t know what faithfulness might look like to you—but I do know this—that when Jesus looked at that rich young man before him, he loved him. And to love him, our Savior had to know him, recognizing in him the whole journey which had already been his and quickly assessing what he might be capable of next. I believe Jesus looks at us the same.
I’m pretty sure that Jesus does not demand that each and every one of us totally divest—at least I hope not. But on the other hand, from what I’ve seen of people of faith over the years, is that once people get serious about giving—their lives do not turn to less—but more. More compassion, more gratitude, more joy, more grace—more of all that God wishes for all of us—the world over.
Give some prayer and consideration this week as to how Jesus is calling you to make financial decisions. Ask yourself, what might you give away? What is holding you back? And what, finally—what are you hoping to gain? Let God help you prioritize, and discover that, in the end, the matter of having enough resolves itself in the cross—where we are given more than we can either desire or deserve. With a treasure like that, what is holding you back? In Jesus’ name. Amen.