During his homily at Casa Santa Marta, the pope explained that the life of a Christian is like accepting an invitation to God's feast. A feast in which there is no room to for those who live only to protect or increase their wealth.
POPE FRANCIS
It is very hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. But there are good rich people, saints, who are not attached to wealth. But most of them are attached to wealth, they are closed. And that's why they can't understand what celebration is. But they have the security of things they can touch.
The pope said that those who live their life too centered on themselves end up isolated. They harm their relationships with others and God.
EXTRACTS FROM POPE'S HOMILY:
Source: Vatican News
Faced with that lavishness, that universality of the feast, there is an attitude that blocks the heart: “I'm not going. I prefer to be alone, with the people I like, closed up.” And this is sin; the sin of the people of Israel, the sin of all of us. Closure. “No, this is more important to me than that. No, it’s mine.” Always mine.
And we will be faced with this choice, this option, many times along the journey of life: either the lavishness of the Lord, going to visit the Lord, encountering the Lord, or closing myself in on my own affairs, my own interests. That is why the Lord, speaking of one way of being closed, said it is very hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. But there are good rich people, saints, who are not attached to wealth. But most of them are attached to wealth, they are closed. And that's why they can't understand what celebration is. But they have the security of things they can touch.
Let us think about this parable the Lord tells us today. How is our life going? What do I prefer? Do I always accept the invitation of the Lord or close myself off in my interests, in my smallness? And let us ask the Lord for the grace always to accept to go to His feast, which is free.
