Chapters 8 to 9 - Christ’s Teachings and Today’s Christianity

- 62 - All people encounter obstacles when they attempt to come nearer to God. These obstacles are as different as are the individual themselves. It is each person’s task to remove his own particular obstacle. This is indicated in the words of Christ: ‘If your eye causes you trouble, pluck it out, and cast it from you.’ If there is anything in your life that hinders you from fulfilling the will of God, part with it, though it be as dear to you as your eye. In the case of the rich youth, his wealth was the hindrance, which is why he was asked to part with it by selling all he had and giving the proceeds to the poor. If, however, wealth does not constitute a hindrance in someone’s progress towards God, he has no occasion for parting with his possessions. Furthermore, if it were incumbent upon all to sell their possessions in order to attain perfection, it would be wrong for anyone to acquire property, for if the retention of money and possessions is a hindrance to perfection, so, surely, would be its acquisition. In that case the churches and monasteries would certainly not be allowed to acquire and hold property. • Christ himself was not poor before he appeared in public. He owned several houses, which he had acquired by dint of hard work. He sold them when he began to preach, giving the proceeds to those of his friends with whom he lodged while appearing in public. Therefore, although he no longer owned property after he had entered upon his career as a teacher, he had no need to beg of anyone.

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