(...)And He has not been long on it when from a caravan coming from I do not know where - a rich caravan that certainly-comes from afar, because the women are mounted on camels, closed in swaying palanquins fastened to the humped backs, and the men are riding fiery horses or other camels - a young man departs and, making his camel kneel down, he slides from his saddle and goes towards Jesus. A servant, who has approached him, holds the animal by the reins.
The young man prostrates himself before Jesus, and after his deep salutation, he says to Him: « I am Philip of Canata, the son of true Israelites who have remained such. I was a disciple of Gamaliel until my father's death put me at the head of his business. I have heard You speak more than once. I am aware of Your deeds. I aspire to a better life to have the eternal one that You assure will be possessed by those who create Your Kingdom in themselves. So tell me, good Master, what shall I have to do to have eternal life? »
« Why do you call Me good? God alone is good. » « You are the Son of God, as good as Your Father. Oh! tell me what I must do. »
« To enter eternal life observe the commandments. »
« Which, my Lord? The ancient ones or Yours? »
« The ancient ones already contain Mine, Mine do not alter the ancient ones. They are always the same: worship the Only true God and respect the laws of cult, do not kill, do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not bring false witness, honour your father and mother, do not injure your neighbour but love him as you love yourself. By doing so you will have eternal life. »
« Master, I have observed all those commandments since my childhood »
Jesus casts a loving glance at him and kindly asks: « And do you think they are not yet sufficient? »
« No, Master. The Kingdom of God is a great thing in us and in the other life. God Who gives Himself to us is an infinite gift. I feel that what is our duty is very little compared with the All Infinite Perfect Being Who gives Himself to us, and I think that we should obtain Him by means of things that are greater than those commanded, in order not to be damned and be agreeable to Him. »
« You are right. To be perfect you still lack one thing. If you want to be as perfect as our Father in Heaven wants, go, sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and in Heaven you will have a treasure that will make you loved by the Father Who has given His Treasure to the poor of the Earth. Then come and follow Me. »
The young man becomes sad and pensive. He then stands up and says: « I will remember Your advice… » and he goes away sadly.
Judas smiles ironically and whispers: « I am not the only one who loves money! »
Jesus turns round and looks at him… then He looks at the other eleven faces around Him and says with a sigh: « How difficult it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, the gate of which is narrow, and the way is steep, and those who are laden with the bulky weights of riches cannot go along it and enter! To enter up there only the immaterial treasures of virtue are required and one must be able to part with everything that is attachment to the things of the world and to vanity. » Jesus is very sad…
The apostles look stealthily at one another…
Jesus, looking at the caravan of the young rich man move away, says: « I solemnly tell you that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. »
« Who can be saved, then? Poverty often makes one sin, through envy and lack of respect for other people's property, and through lack of confidence in Providence… Riches are an obstacle to perfection…
So? Who can be saved? »
Jesus looks at them and says: « What is impossible for men, is possible for God, because everything is possible for God. It is sufficient for man to help his Lord with his good will. And it is good will to take the advice given and strive to achieve freedom from riches. To achieve complete freedom, in order to follow God. Because this is the true freedom of man: to follow the voices that God whispers to his heart, and His commandments, not to be the slave of himself, or of the world, or of respect of public opinion, and consequently not to be the slave of Satan. To make use of the wonderful free will that God gave man to wish Good only and freely, and thus attain the very bright, free and blissful eternal life. Man must not be slave even of his own life, if to gratify it he must resist God. I said to you: "He who loses his life for My sake and to serve God will save it for ever". »
« Well! We have left everything to follow You, even what was lawful. So what about us? Shall we enter Your Kingdom? » asks Peter.
« I tell you solemnly that those who have followed Me thus and those who follow Me - because there is always time to make amends for laziness and sins committed so far, there is always time while man is on the Earth and has days in front of him during which he can redress wrongs done - those will be with Me in My Kingdom. I tell you solemnly that you, who have followed Me in the regeneration, will sit on thrones to judge the tribes of the Earth with the Son of man Who will be sitting on the throne of His glory. And once again I tell you solemnly that there is no one who in My Name has left house, fields, father, mother, brothers, wife, sons and sisters to propagate the Gospel and continue My work, who will not receive one hundredfold in this present time and eternal life in the world to come. »
« But if we lose everything how can we centuplicate what we have? » asks Judas of Kerioth.
« I repeat: what is impossible for men is possible for God. And God will give one hundredfold of spiritual joy to those who from men of the world became sons of God, that is spiritual men. They will enjoy real happiness, both here and beyond the Earth. And I also say to you that not all those who seem to be the first, and ought to be the first having received more than everybody, will be such. And not all those who seem to be the last, and even less than the last, as they do not appear to be My disciples or to belong to the chosen People, will be the last. Truly, many who were first will become last, and many who were last, least, will become first… But there is Doco over there. Go ahead all of you, except Judas of Kerioth and Simon Zealot. Go and announce Me to those who may need Me. »
And Jesus with the two apostles He held back waits for the three Maries, who are following them at a few meters' distance.