Gospel according to Matthew 19:23-30
“Everything that is impossible for men is possible for God.” Perhaps this is precisely the phrase that contains the heart of today’s Gospel. Jesus does not condemn wealth in itself, but He warns us against everything that, by becoming too important, risks taking the place of God in our hearts. We can be rich in possessions, but also in securities, plans, affections, convictions, and even in ourselves. And when the heart clings to something, it is no longer completely free to follow Jesus. Instead, the Lord invites us to the freedom of love. Leaving everything does not necessarily mean possessing nothing, but belonging to nothing and no one more than we belong to Him. It means being able to say with all our heart: “Jesus, everything I am, everything I love, and everything I possess is Yours. If I have You, I already have everything.” And Jesus’ promise is wonderful: God cannot be outdone in generosity. Everything given for love of Him returns transformed, purified, and multiplied: we will receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life. When it seems impossible for us to free ourselves from our fears, our attachments, or our frailties, let us remember the gaze of Jesus: with God, all things are possible. It is He who makes possible what we could never accomplish on our own. It is He who prepares our hearts to love for the good of humanity. Lord, make our hearts free, poor, and in love with You. Give us the courage to leave behind everything that prevents us from following You fully. Grant that we may choose You every day, without fear and without reserve, because You are our true treasure, our “hundredfold,” already here on earth, and our eternal happiness in Heaven.
– Rosanna Dora De Lucia
