Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
There’s a fascinating story about how monkeys are caught in some parts of the world. A coconut is hollowed out, leaving an opening just large enough for a monkey to slide its hand inside. Some peanuts are placed in the coconut, and it’s tied securely to a tree. The monkey, drawn by the smell of the peanuts, reaches in and grabs them. But now, with a clenched fist full of peanuts, the monkey can’t pull its hand out. Rather than letting go of the peanuts and freeing itself, it remains trapped until it’s captured. The monkey could easily escape if it just released the peanuts, but its unwillingness to let go keeps it in bondage.
In the Gospel for this twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus tells us a story that speaks to our human nature in much the same way. A rich young man, who sincerely desires eternal life, approaches Jesus. He has lived a morally upright life and follows all the commandments. However, when Jesus challenges him to let go of his wealth, sell everything he owns, and give it to the poor, the young man walks away sad, unwilling to part with his possessions. Like the monkey in the story, he is trapped, not by the wealth itself, but by his attachment to it.
Jesus goes further and says, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God” (Lk 18:24). This is a strong statement, one that leaves the disciples astonished, asking, “Who then can be saved?” Why does Jesus speak so strongly about the dangers of wealth? It’s not because wealth itself is evil, but because of what it can do to the human heart. Wealth often leads to a false sense of security. When we have material wealth, we can start to rely on it, thinking it can provide everything we need. But wealth can’t buy us peace of mind, love, or eternal life. The more we accumulate, the more tempted we are to trust in our possessions rather than in God.
Another danger is that wealth ties us to the things of this world. The more we have, the more we want to keep what we have, and soon we can find ourselves spending more time protecting and growing our wealth than serving God and others. Jesus tells us, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt 6:19). If our hearts are fixed on earthly riches, we become blind to the greater treasures God offers us.
Jesus also points out that wealth can make us selfish. The rich young man in the Gospel followed the commandments, but he lacked compassion for the poor. His attachment to wealth prevented him from giving generously to those in need. This is why Jesus invites us to a life of radical generosity, challenging us to loosen our grip on material possessions so that they do not possess us.
So how can we apply this message to our daily lives? Here are a few questions for reflection:
- What are the “peanuts” in our lives—those things we grasp so tightly that they prevent us from fully following Christ?
- Are we willing to let go of our attachments, whether to material goods, our time, or even our reputation, in order to place God first?
- How can we become more generous with the blessings we’ve received, not just in terms of wealth, but in sharing our talents, time, and love with those in need?
Jesus calls us to more than just obeying rules—He calls us to follow Him with our whole hearts, to trust in Him fully, and to live in freedom. We are invited to reflect on what holds us back from giving ourselves fully to God and to take the courageous step of letting go, knowing that what Jesus offers us in return is far greater than anything we could ever imagine.
May the Lord grant us the wisdom and courage to let go and follow Him with all our hearts.
In Christ’s love,
Msgr. Cuong M. Pham