To Gain Eternal Life: Difficulty of God's commandments

Gospel for July 30, 2023

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/073023.cfm

Jesus said to his disciples:

"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,

which a person finds and hides again,

and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant

searching for fine pearls.

When he finds a pearl of great price,

he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."

We must faithfully not depend too much on our own strength and cleverness. We must humble ourselves before God and give Him the glory, for it is He who strengthens us.

The Church has always recommended voluntary poverty as a way to imitate Jesus and become His disciple. Saint Augustine said, "He who would be a disciple of Christ must deny himself." Saint Francis of Assisi said, "Whoever has two tunics, let him give one to the poor."

Jesus told His disciples to sell all they had and give to the poor, and He Himself would provide the means. He also said, "When you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward in full." (Matthew 6:2-4)

In the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, it is stated that Christians are called to "go forth sharing in the sufferings of Christ" (24). Christ's example of sacrificing Himself through His own poverty teaches us that we are called to do the same.

In order to imitate Christ and enter into His Kingdom, we must be willing to give up our earthly possessions. This is something that is taught throughout the Christian faith, and is a vital part of repentance and salvation. Sacrificing our possessions may seem difficult at first, but it is a lesson that we must learn if we want to be like Christ.

All Christians are called to surrender all earthly possessions if necessary in order to gain eternal life. Heaven is within the reach of all who follow the ordinary vocations of life and partake of this world's joys and pleasures within the framework of God's commandments. But never lose sight of the goal toward which we are moving.

We have within our reach in the Church all the spiritual and supernatural aids we need. The Church is our mother and refuge, the rock of our salvation, the strength of our hope.

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