TODAY’S GOSPEL READING
19 AUGUST, 2025
Matthew 19:23-30
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich
to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Again 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.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said,
“Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For men this is impossible,
but for God all things are possible.”
Then Peter said to him in reply,
“We have given up everything and followed you.
What will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you
that you who have followed me, in the new age,
when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory,
will yourselves sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or lands
for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more,
and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD!
REFLECTION
Jesus reminds His disciples that wealth and worldly attachments can make entering God’s kingdom difficult. The rich young ruler walked away sorrowful because his possessions bound him, while Jesus revealed that salvation is not achieved by human effort but by God’s grace. He assures that those who sacrifice for His sake will receive far more than they give up—not only in eternal life but also in the blessings of belonging to His kingdom. The reversal Jesus speaks of—“the first will be last, and the last first”—challenges our earthly measures of success, teaching us that God’s values are very different from the world’s. True reward comes not from clinging to what we have, but from surrendering everything to follow Christ.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I thank You for reminding me that salvation is not about what I can achieve or hold on to, but about what I am willing to surrender to You. Free me from the grip of worldly attachments that can weigh down my soul and blind me to the riches of Your kingdom. Give me the grace to follow You wholeheartedly, trusting that You provide abundantly for all who walk in obedience. May I live each day with eternity in mind, seeking first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, and may my heart always find joy in the treasures of heaven that never fade. Amen
