Have you ever seen how a monk lives? Or, for that matter, many priests, religious women and missionaries?
Take a peek inside their room – many of them call it a “cell” – and you will typically see a bed, a desk, a chair, a lamp, a Bible, a crucifix and sometimes an alarm clock.
A very simple spread.
Here are some things you usually do not see: A television, stereo or “jam box,” electronic games, treadmill, closets stuffed with clothes.
Whenever we make a retreat or just visit a monastery, I’m always amazed at how simple and uncluttered the lives of these religious men and women can be. And I always leave wondering if I could ever do the same at home.
In today’s Gospel from Mark, Jesus makes no bones about what it takes to get into heaven. The rich young man, who bears the brunt of His teaching, walks away sad because he has too many possessions and simply cannot fathom the thought of giving them up.
Jesus is pretty clear that it is easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle than for a rich man or woman to get into heaven.
So I looked it up.
Camels are typically about 6-feet tall and can weigh anywhere from 600 to 2,000 pounds. They can run 40 miles per hour, so even if you could catch one, good luck fitting it through the little eye of a sewing needle.
I can imagine myself, trying to squeeze all of my possessions through a tiny little gate that leads to heaven. One by one, each of those things once cherished have to be given up … let go.
Christ may also have been referring to the construction of the wall around Jerusalem, where pack animals such as the camels were led to a very small hole to enter the city, something that may have been done as a security measure.
Either way, the lesson remains: We must shed our earthly possessions if we want to get into heaven. There is no sense in storing up riches … riches that can do us no good when God comes knocking to take you home.
The apostles were amazed at what they believed was a pretty extreme teaching. How could anyone pass through the eye of the needle? Isn’t that impossible?
Jesus replies, “All things are possible for God” … a reminder that when the end truly does come, we will need to rely on God’s mercy and forgiveness if we want to spend eternity with Him in heaven. No matter how many things we have or how many we’ve given away. We will always need God in our lives.
When I think about the last days of a monk – particularly the Trappist monks in Kentucky – I think about how they bury their dead. No fancy coffins, no massive amounts of flowers. Just the body, wrapped in a sheet and tossed in the ground.
They enter the world naked (we all do) and they leave the same way.
We should strive to take today’s Gospel lesson to heart and begin to simplify … ponder and pray about the things you have and whether or not you truly need them.
Don’t be like the rich man. Don’t be sad as you sell your things and give to the poor. You are preparing yourself to follow Christ, who will give you all that you need for your journey home.
