KAALAGAD Gospel Reflection – Mark 10: 13-30
the children
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[a]”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” 28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.”
the rich young man
We gain deeper insight into the story about the Rich Young Man of today’s gospel if firstly we revisit the story immediately preceding. The disciples are hassling young children away from Jesus as they seek access to him. Jesus was indignant “Let the children come to me, do not stop them ..… for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.”
Children are the epidemy of vulnerability: innocent, powerless, without status; vulnerable to abuse, manipulation and slavery. Jesus proclaims these to be the owners of the Kingdom.
The Rich Young Man however, was not vulnerable. He was from a leading family, an aristocrat; Luke’s account indicates he might have been a ruler. He has wealth and status, is secure. Yet he was a good man who kept the social commandments since his youth. He was not like Dives who ignored the poor beggar Lazarus.
The tension between the story of the children (to whom the Kingdom of Heaven belongs) and the Rich Young Man encapsulates the fundamental tension of the whole Jesus Story. These two stories demand that we individually decide where, with whom, we cast our lot.
The Rich Young Man was not like Zacchaeus, the senior tax collector and also a very wealthy man who – being short in stature – climbed a tree to see Jesus. Zacchaeus made himself vulnerable to the message of Jesus. When Jesus accepted him and invited himself into Zacchaeus’ house, this short man did not turn away from Jesus: he gave half his property to the poor and repaid fourfold those (many) he cheated as a tax collector. We could not imagine the Rich Young Man climbing such a tree.
The Jesus Story tells of Jesus casting his lot with the vulnerable, the unrecognised of Jewish society: children, women and the vast array of outcasts: the economically poor, social outcasts because of occupation or lack of education, outcasts due to physical or mental sickness. Jesus ate with sinners, met with Samaritans and sided with the prostitute. He referenced the downtrodden, the persecuted, the captives. Jesus became vulnerable to The Vulnerable. In becoming their Advocate, Jesus himself became an outcast. He shattered the illusions of wealth and status, as well as the illusions of sin and poverty. And paid the ultimate price.
Jesus invited the Rich Young Man to cross the line also, and join him in his essential mission of advocacy on behalf of the vulnerable. Sadly, the Rich Young Man turned away, sadly.
Individually we carry our own weight of status, wealth and security. We are called in discipleship to climb the tree with Zacchaeus and truly “see what kind of man Jesus was”. Thus, to join Zacchaeus in responding to the mission of Jesus “to seek out and save what was lost”. Specifically, to be advocates for the vulnerable in our midst. We cannot go away sad as did the Rich Young Man.
As an institution in and of society, the Church has enormous status, wealth and security. Imitating Dives, the Church has sat and feasted on the carnage of abuse for so long, ignoring the myriad Children of Lazarus who begged for crumbs of grace and goodness for so long without avail. The shame and humiliation will only be lessened when the Church – which means Church people professing identity with Jesus – get out of the church buildings, forgo something of status, wealth and security and visibly campaign for the status and security of the poor, the outcasts, the persecuted, the children.
These may not be clean, not perfect, not elegant. They may be stubborn, even violent, sometimes unable to help themselves. But like Zacchaeus they are “sons and daughters of Abraham” and they will respond gladly to the ones who do not turn away from them, sadly.
The Church, as the concentrated bearer of the Jesus Story, is challenged through these stories to come out from behind a multitude of laws and volumes of theology and combat what society is facing: rampant global capitalism that cares not for the worker, a violent and narcissist government that places itself above the law and proclaims itself in foul and vicious language, an economy that is going backwards as it grapples with the burden of burgeoning debt, the increasing cost of goods, rice farmers going hungry while their product is sold overseas.
Within such maelstrom are little children seeking the company and the blessing of Jesus. In a land where it is not important what you know but WHO you know – who has the status and wealth to help you rise – these children know no one. It is the mission of the Church not to be the Abuser but to be the Advocate for the most vulnerable.
Contrary to what is perhaps a popular belief, it is not so easy for those with power, wealth, status and security to enter the Kingdom that is owned by the Little Children.
