Why is it so hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God?
On retreat earlier this month, I learned a possible answer: Jesus can save all of us — and he wants to — but we have to let him. Often we try to save ourselves with our money, our talents, or our hard work. We begin to think we don’t need God. So, our retreat leader asked, “Are we poor enough to let Christ save us?”
St. Aloysius Gonzaga was born into a royal family; he renounced his inheritance and became a Jesuit. Six years later he died caring for plague victims. He could say, with Peter, “We have given up everything and followed you.” He could also affirm, with Peter, that his decision brought both persecutions and rewards.
On this feast day, let us ask ourselves: Are we poor enough to let Christ work in our lives?
—Daniel Everson, S.J., a Jesuit scholastic of the U.S. Central Southern province, is currently studying philosophy at Loyola University Chicago.