Poverty December
Moreover, both our individual and communal standard of living must be adapted to the environment in which we live and work so that, by the moderation and simplicity of our life, we truly do manifest an evangelical detachment and freedom from concern about material things (Const. 3.4).
One day in front of a small gate in the wall that gives access to the city, a shopkeeper stopped with his camel, loaded down with merchandise. Even with the help of his friends, he couldn’t get the camel through the opening, which became at that moment like the eye of a needle. The only hope seemed to be to unload the camel and force it to enter with difficulty on its knees and with its head bent down. And this is Jesus’ lesson about wealth. Teaching about this difficulty, Jesus alludes to places that demand a serious deprivation to enter and maintain integrity. The camel that tries to pass through the eye of a needle is one image of the difficulties wealth poses for entering into the Kingdom of God. Entry into the Heavenly Jerusalem is complicated by the desire for and possession of the goods of this world! An extraordinary effort is called for to divest oneself of what is superfluous, to get the flexibility for passing through and finally living adapted to the needs of others.
When you have finished filling your sack, you fall under its weight. (Shi)
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