Pompeii was an ancient Roman town city located near modern Naples, Italy. In 79 AD, the city was greatly devastated by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which destroyed it and buried it under nearly 13-20 feet of ash and lava. I think Netflix has a series of documentaries about this.
The eruption killed the city's inhabitants and buried it under tons of ash. Plaster was used during the excavation to fill the voids in the ash layers, revealing the exact position of the victims. Several years later, while construction workers were laying the foundation for a building outside the city of Pompeii, they made a very strange discovery.
Wise Investments
They found the body of a woman who was likely trying to escape from the volcanic eruption but got caught in a shower of hot ashes. Strangely, the woman's hands were clutching jewels that were perfectly preserved. The jewels belonged to her, but her death had made them useless to her.
Perhaps that is the bottom line of life. Treasures of this world are not wise investments; they cannot be taken with us at the end of life and cannot be enjoyed for but a few years on earth. These are the sentiments and teachings that the Lord transmits in today's Gospel.
You Can't Take It with You
Aren't we all like that with our possessions? We grasp tightly whatever form our jewels or riches might take and will not let go of it even if our lives are at stake. Jesus told his disciples that this possessiveness would keep many from entering the Kingdom of God. I say to you; it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:23-30).
I remember reading in some biblical commentaries that next to the main gate into Jerusalem in ancient times was a small door used to let in travelers who arrived at night after the main gate was closed. The door was called the "needle's eye." If the traveler happened to have a camel with him, there was a problem. The person could fit easily through the door, but getting the camel through was challenging. We can imagine the traveler standing behind the camel, pushing and shoving, trying to squeeze it through the needle's eye.
The Best Offer
Jesus gives us the image of a rich man trying to get through the small door that leads into the Kingdom of God. He will fit through the narrow door if he is content to leave his possessions behind. He won't make it if he insists on hanging onto his possessions.
Jesus is our "better offer." There comes a time in our lives when we outgrow our toys and other possessions and yearn for something better. Something deep inside reminds us that only union with God will satisfy us. The Lord's invitation for us today is to release our grip on earthly treasures and embrace the lasting joy found in God's Kingdom.
- Father Boby's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and Rosary) at the 30-minute mark on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
