“You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Monday 27th May 2024 – MARK 10:17-27.
So, those of us who are very wealthy in the true sense of the word and are equally very humble and down to earth should and must be respected. As a matter of fact, such a persons should be revered, as some people would even tend to fear them.
Whereas, to some of us, having some change in our bank account as well as a few coins in our pocket, that, obscures our fair sense of judgement and gives us some kind of a feeling of omnipotence.
To those kinds among us in the first reference, the wealth is just a means to and end, to be used just to make life more fluid. They are aware that it is ephemeral, so, it can finish or waste away. However, life as well as the inter-personal relationship between one person to another is invaluable, therefore, it is and should be most important.
To the second kind of us, we assume the wealth to be our world and security, therefore, we guard it with our life and turn our back to the rest of the world.
As such, we become knowingly or unknowingly arrogant, unfeeling and recalcitrant to the feeling and plight of others around us. We tend to feel the world lives to satisfy us.
It is to those of us that Christ Jesus refers in today’s teaching.
If our wealth obscures us from the plight of the needy, we too are guilty.
Now, the term ‘wealthy ‘isn’t and shouldn’t be reserved only for the likes of Elon Musk and Aliko Dangote.
When we have any piece of clothing in our closet or boxes that we haven’t used for (to be fair and realistic) upwards of 36 months, then, we possibly do not need them. We must find those whom such clothing would be useful to and give them.
If we can spare 10k, 5k, even urgent 2k and pittance like just N200 to those in dare need, ‘without drastically hurting our livelihood,’ then we too are wealthy, therefore, we should and must render such help whenever the need arises and we are capable of it.
Sometimes, we get scared that what we give could be used to fetishly get at us. That is hogwash, nevertheless, if we fear too much, there are yet other proxy avenues that we can reach the down trodden with the little that we have to give.
There are such bodies like the Salvation Army. In our various Catholic Parishes, we have the Saint Vincent de Paul Society.
Dear friend, if and whenever we can, we kindly should.
Some children in a suburb not really far away from us could be struggling with life for the lack of malaria medication that costs not more two thousand Naira.
There are children right now going to school practically bare feet for lack of rubber sandals that may cost not more than one thousand two hundred Naira.
HRH Muhammadu Sanusi II, said a child passed on in the arms of the mother who was waiting on queue to have audience with the emir during Palace session. The cause of death was later found out to be malaria. The emir said he wept.
My dear friend, can we now also see what the little that we too can do will go a long way?
We must remember that charity atones for many sins.
A little matters a lot.
Have a fantastic day and a fulfilled week ahead.
#HAPPY_CHILDREN’S_DAY! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo.