In an Orthodox Funeral for a departed loved one, there is a very pointed and direct verse that is said by the priest, that always sticks with me, even after I move on to the next few verses:
Let us go forth and gaze into the graves, for man is naked bones, food for the worms, and stench. Only thenwill we learn of what are true riches, and comeliness, beauty, and strength!
Why does that verse hit so hard those who hear it? Because it is a pure does of truth that so many in the world, especially living in our material driven society, do not want to admit: The desire to gain money, power, and wealth, those things which the world holds so dear, are meaningless to the existence of mankind.
In the Gospel today, perhaps one of the more potent reminders is given, one that often causes each of us living in this country a bit of a pause: “O how hard it is for those who have riches to enter into 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 into the Kingdom of God!” (Luke 18:24)
The “eye of the needle” our Lord is speaking about (although this is the subject of some debate) is sometimes referred to as the small opening in walls surrounding Jerusalem. To fit an entire camel through it is certainly possible, but it would require the camel to rid itself of all the baggage it was carrying to get through! What an image for us brothers and sisters! What kind of baggage do riches put on the backs of mankind, making it hard for us to “enter into the narrow gate!” Riches are a cause for us to forget about God. The more things we have, the more comfortable our lives are, the more we become distracted by what our true purpose is in life. We begin to forget about God, which inevitably leads to disaster.
So how do we learn what are true riches, and comeliness, beauty, and strength? Our Lord gave us the answer in the Gospel when he told the rich man to sell all that he had, give it to the poor, and come follow Him!
It’s not difficult to imagine why the Gospel points out that the Rich Man went away sorrowful and dejected. Why? Because everyone here today upon hearing this Gospel Text should come away feeling the exact same emotion! If we take a moment to truly examine our lives, we all take part in this dejection, living in a country where even our poor are considered rich by worldly standards! Our Lord tells us today…Don’t allow the baggage of your wealth to stop you from gathering up riches in the Kingdom.
How is this accomplished? Are we to leave here today and be like St. Anthony the Great, who heard this Gospel being read in Church and was so overwhelmed that he sold everything he had as soon as he walked out and retreated to the dessert to live in solitude and prayer? If the spirit moves you to do that, then God be with you…but for the rest of us who are weak, how do we start to release the shackles that our riches have on us?
St. Paul in his final exhortation to the Philippians, shares with us the secret. He says:
“…I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty of hunger, abundance, and want. I can do all things in Him who strengthens me!”
What is this secret dear ones? Contentment! To learn the virtue of Trust…trusting in the will of God who strengthens us, regardless of whatever situation we find ourselves in. St. Paul learned how not to tie his inner disposition (his inner happiness) to his outward circumstances in life.
We see the opposite occur in so many around us. It is the American Dream to be rich and (quote on quote) “prosperous”. But having exterior wealth does nothing…if we don’t know Why or for Whom we are living. If we don’t understand the meaning of our existence, and our place in the universe, all of the wealth, power, and riches that we accumulate in our life mean absolutely nothing! This is why St. Paul tells us about the Christian Secret of contentment…being satisfied and grateful for whatever we have. It isn’t the outside world (material, power, or riches) that brings meaning to our life…but rather (as we will sing on Christmas Eve) “God being With Us”.
“Let us go forth and gaze into the tombs…Man is naked bones…food for worms and stench…only then will we realize the truth about riches, comeliness, beauty, and strength”. As we go forth into the season of the Nativity, let these words ring true in our hearts.
Have we labored more for larger bank accounts, or for tilling the soil of our souls through prayer?
Have we spent more time listening to the radio or tv about how the next administration is going to “Make America Rich Again”…or have we focused more on the poverty of virtues that we so desperately lack?
Is the table that is set to welcome our Lord in our heart as decorated with inner beauty as the lavish decorations we have on our Thanksgiving and Christmas tables?
Prepare dear ones…prepare the inner working of your souls, because the king of Glory is coming. He doesn’t search for the lavish palace of Herod, but rather finds his abode in a simple cave, lying in a humble manger. Let us seek after the same humility, when it comes to the importance of riches in our own lives.