First Reading (Ezekiel 28,1-10)
Reading of Ezekiel’s Prophecy.
The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre: This is what the Lord God says: Because your heart has become proud, you have said, ‘I am a god, and I sit on my throne in the heart of the seas.’ But you are a man and not a god, yet you have thought that your mind is like that of a god. Yes, you are wiser than Daniel! No secret is hidden from you. By your talent and skill you have acquired a fortune; you have accumulated gold and silver in your treasuries. By your great business acumen you have increased your wealth, and with it your heart has become proud. Therefore this is what the Lord God says: Because you have made your mind like that of a god, I am about to bring against you the fiercest of the foreign nations. They will draw their swords against your beautiful wisdom and defile your splendor. They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die a violent death in the heart of the seas. Will you dare to say, ‘I am a god,’ a god! in the presence of your tormentors, you who are a man and not a god, in the hands of those who stab you? You will die the death of the uncircumcised, by the hand of foreigners, for I have spoken – declares the Lord God.”
– The word of the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
Gospel (Matthew 19,23-30)
— Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: “Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. And again I tell you, 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.” When the disciples heard this, they were amazed and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Peter answered and said to Jesus, “See! We have left everything and followed you. What shall we receive?” Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, when the world is renewed and the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. Many who are first will be last. And many who are now last will be first.”
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, O Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Imagine for a moment that you are standing before a magic mirror. Not an ordinary mirror that simply reflects your image, but one that reveals the true state of your soul. What would you see? Would it be an image of humility and gratitude, or would you glimpse traces of pride and excessive self-confidence? This reflection takes us to the heart of today’s readings, which invite us to a profound examination of our attitudes toward God, ourselves, and material goods.
In the first reading, the prophet Ezekiel addresses harsh words to the prince of Tyre. “Your heart was proud, and you said, ‘I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.'” What a shocking statement! Here we see the height of human hubris—a leader so intoxicated by his power and wealth that he considers himself divine.
It’s not hard to find modern examples of this kind of hubris, is it? We live in an age of celebrity worship, where individuals are elevated to near-divine status because of their wealth, fame, or power. But we don’t just have to look at the headlines or the rich and famous. This tendency toward self-deification can subtly manifest itself in our own lives.
How often do we catch ourselves thinking that we have it all together? That our success is purely the result of our own efforts? That we have no need for God or others? These are the seeds of the same hubris that Ezekiel condemns.
The prince of Tyre boasted of his wisdom and wealth: “By his great wisdom and by his trade he increased his wealth, and because of his riches his heart was proud.” There is nothing inherently wrong with being wise or prosperous. The problem arises when we begin to see these blessings as purely personal achievements, forgetting that every good gift comes from God.
This is where Ezekiel’s message connects powerfully with today’s Gospel. Jesus, looking at his disciples, makes a statement that must have been shocking to them: “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” And to emphasize the point, he adds the famous metaphor: “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.”
Can you imagine the disciples’ shock? In the Jewish culture of the time, wealth was often seen as a sign of God’s blessing. If even the rich, those seemingly blessed by God, had difficulty entering the Kingdom, what hope was there for the rest?
But Jesus is not condemning wealth per se. He is pointing out the danger that wealth poses to our spiritual lives. Wealth, whether material, intellectual, or otherwise, has the power to deceive us. It can make us believe that we are self-sufficient, that we have no need of God. It can harden our hearts to the needs of others. It can become an idol that we compete with for our worship.
This is why Jesus says that it is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Not because God does not want the rich to enter, but because wealth often becomes a barrier between us and God. It is as if wealth creates a bubble around us, isolating us from the reality of our dependence on God and our interconnectedness with others.
But be careful! Before we get too comfortable pointing the finger at the “rich,” we should ask ourselves: Who are the truly rich in God’s eyes? Compared to much of the world, many of us live in a luxury that the kings of old could not even imagine. We have access to knowledge, technology, and opportunities that place us among the “rich” globally. Jesus’ words apply to all of us.
So what should we do? Should we give up everything we have? For some, that may indeed be the call. But for most of us, the call is to a change of heart and perspective.
Peter, speaking for the disciples, asks, “Behold, we have left everything and followed you. What shall we have?” Jesus’ answer is both a challenge and a wonderful promise. He promises that those who have left everything for Him will receive “a hundredfold” and inherit eternal life. But He also warns, “Many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”
This is a call for a radical reversal of values. In the Kingdom of God, true wealth is not measured by what we possess, but by what we are willing to let go for the sake of Christ and others. True greatness is not found in exalting ourselves, but in humbling ourselves and serving.
Imagine that magic mirror again. What would it reveal about your priorities? What do you truly value? Where do you place your trust?
My dear brothers and sisters, the invitation today is to take a deep look at our lives. Not to condemn ourselves, but to open ourselves more fully to God’s transforming grace. Here are some practical steps we can take:
– Practice daily gratitude. Recognize that everything you have and are comes from God. This combats the illusion of self-sufficiency.
– Cultivate generosity. Not just with your money, but with your time, talents, and attention. Generosity frees us from excessive attachment to material possessions.
– Simplify your life. Ask yourself, “What do I really need?” Often, our lives are so full of stuff that there is no room for God.
– Serve others, especially those who cannot reciprocate. This helps us see the world through the eyes of Christ.
– Cultivate deep relationships. True wealth is found in the connections we have with God and others.
– Practice detachment. Regularly let go of something you are attached to, as a reminder that your security is in God, not in possessions.
– Meditate on Scripture daily. Let God’s Word renew your mind and transform your values.
Remember, today’s message is not one of condemnation, but of liberation. Jesus wants to free us from the illusions that bind us, whether they are wealth, power, or pride. He invites us to a life of true freedom and abundance—a life centered not on ourselves, but on God and others.
May the Holy Spirit open our eyes to see clearly, our hearts to love generously, and our hands to serve humbly. May we, like the psalmist, declare, “Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart.”
And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, now and forever. Amen.
