Even after two millennia of the gospel, wealth remains the measure of character. The more one has, the more one deserves it. Possession is virtue. Prosperity is God's favor.
Today, on “Black Friday,” Jesus commands all who would follow him to sell everything they have. It is as astonishing to America as it was to the Hellenistic world.
‘Then who can be saved?’ (Mk 10:26 REB, emphasis mine)
The Lord, the universal heart of creation, has some bad news for “good” people:
‘For men it is impossible…’
Basically, you're screwed. Anything you cling to in this world keeps you from the kingdom. A heart that treasures the things of time cannot inhabit eternity.
‘…but not for God; everything is possible for God.’ – Mk. 10:27 (REB)
That's the good news. Your own soul is the insurmountable barrier to God. Time and attachment form a closed system. Nothing you do, say, own, buy, or believe will ever raise your humanity above it from within. Only God can, from without.
Scripture quotations taken from the Revised English Bible, copyright © Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press 1989. All rights reserved.
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