Posted by from Fr. Steven Kostoff (dcalvert) on 7/12/2007, 1:05 pm
Dear Fathers, Parish Faithful & Friends in Christ,
In our pretty well-attended Bible Study yesterday evening, we read through and discussed LK. 18. In this chapter, we encountered the young "ruler" (v. 18-27) who came to Jesus with a remarkably direct and profound question: "Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Even though the motives of the ruler are never revealed in his dialogue with Christ, it appears that he was serious in asking this question and hoping to gain the necessary insight into pursuing this ultimate of goals. The ruler asked the right question of the right Person. It makes me wonder as to whether or not we, as Orthodox Christians, ask this question of ourselves, our teachers, or our spiritual leaders. Christianity is about "eternal life" - the gift of everlasting and true life in the presence of God made possible and offered to our freedom through the Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of Christ:
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in
him should not perish but have eternal life. (JN. 3:16)
Perhaps endless repetition has blunted the power of these words, but upon the slightest serious reflection, we realize that this is the reality that reveals the Gospel as "Good News." We like to ask what we consider to be "relevant" questions. But if we never ask the question about "eternal life" - or take it for granted because we are already Christians - but only ask questions that pertain to "this world" and life in this world, however necessary and important those questions may be; then our supposedly relevant questions will endlessly drift toward "irrelevance" as our lives flow on toward their inevitable end. Thus, the question "what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' is the one question that is never irrelevant!
The ruler, however, was dismayed when he was told by Christ:
One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven; and come follow me. (v. 22)
The ruler, however, was not prepared for so "radical" an answer from Jesus. Hence, his immediate reaction: "But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich." Of all the evangelists, it is claimed that St. Luke, more than the others, stresses the need for renunciation as a sign of true discipleship. Whatever it is that we cling to in such a way that this becomes a barrier to following Christ, must be "renounced" or all of our talk about the Kingdom of God becomes empty. "Riches" is a very relative concept. It is easy for us to claim that we are far from being rich, that we are struggling to make ends meet, etc. However, anyone can get lost in what are riches according to various levels of assessment. St. John Klimakos said he knew of monks who would fight over a rag! The grip that "riches" hold upon us would make all of us "sad" if we were asked to give them away. This is why Christ, still "looking" at the ruler said:
How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for
a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.
The whole point of these well-known, hyperbolic and troubling words is to emphasize the "impossibility" of such a "possibility." This pronouncement is impervious to rationalizing evasions. However, and hopefully without falling into the same trap of removing the sting from these words, I am not convinced that it need be read with a kind of wooden literalism; as if to mean that any person who has "money" or "assets" cannot conceivably be found worthy of the Kingdom of God precisely because of possession of such things, as if they were inherently evil. That would eliminate all genuine Christian philanthropy, well-intentioned giving, and simple generous charity on the part of pious Christians throughout the ages. But if a "rich man" cannot abandon his "riches" when called upon to, or even when forced to by circumstances, then he cannot give himself to God and thus "enter" His Kingdom either. We return to the choice between God and mammon. Contrary to our modern sense of entitlement, we cannot have the best of both worlds.
When Jesus further pronounces His well-known saying, "What is impossible with men is possible with God," I am not so certain that He is claiming that such a rich man can enter the Kingdom of God despite himself and his entrapment by his own riches; but rather that "with God" it is possible to make such an ultimate renunciation for the sake of the "treasure of heaven," impossible though it may seem to our way of thinking.
These are some of the challenging themes we discuss in our Bible Study. We cannot claim to always find the right answers or to fully understand the many-sided implications of the Lord's words. But at least we give ourselves the opportunity of asking the right questions, trusting that God will guide us if we are serious in our pursuit of His righteousness. To attend the Bible Study is to put ourselves under the bright and searing light of the Gospel. We may have to come to some uncomfortable conclusions about our own lives and priorites, though we are members of the Church. This is a good thing, because we can then begin the process of repentance and conversion, which is really a life-long process of slow transformation toward a Kingdom-oriented existence. And we also know that there is nowhere else to turn because, as St. Peter said to Christ after hearing some of His difficult teaching: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have to know, that you are the Holy One of God." (JN. 6:68-69)
Fr. Steven C. Kostoff
Christ the Savior/Holy Spirit Orthodox Church
http://www.christthesavioroca.org
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