Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, where he spoke to the faithful about the Gospel of the rich young man, who, after his encounter with Christ, became His disciple.
“It is no coincidence that today’s Gospel is read at the beginning of the school and university year,” the bishop said. “It is a call to the youth of our country to be concerned not only with material things, but also with the nourishment of the soul and with a relationship of trust and love with God.”
Reflecting on society today, he recalled the words of Saint Basil the Great 1,700 years ago: “All the evils of this world come from greed for wealth, from the desire to take as much as possible of what belongs to your neighbour. Nothing has changed. The order of the world is shaken again by endless greed for riches and lands.”
Keeping the commandments draws us closer to God
The bishop stressed that material goods cannot answer the soul’s longing for eternal life, because the soul is created for communion with God.
“Eternal life begins with keeping God’s commandments, which are not mere rules or prohibitions but true paths of spiritual growth. They express His will and are the bridge through which man enters into communion with his Creator,” Bishop Varlaam said.
He added that following the commandments is the beginning of this communion, shaping the heart, teaching love, truth, and freedom from passions:
“Observing the commandments brings us closer to God, forms us in love toward others, and prepares us for the Kingdom of Heaven. They guide our steps, teach us to live in truth and justice, and shape our hearts in the likeness of the Good Heavenly Father.”
Passing through the Eye of the Needle
Bishop Varlaam also explained two interpretations of Christ’s words: “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” (Matthew 19:24).
“There are two interpretations,” he explained. “The ‘kamilos’ was a rope used by sailors at sea, very thick, impossible to pass through the eye of a needle—just as it is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The second interpretation is that one of the gates of Jerusalem was called the Eye of the Needle, because it was very narrow. If a camel wished to enter through it, it had to kneel and crawl, humbling itself.”
“Both meanings teach us that through the Eye of the Needle—through the demands God expects us to fulfil—we must be renewed, spiritually ‘slimmed down’ through fasting, almsgiving, and good deeds. Just as a rope must be thinned to pass through the eye of a needle,” he said.
Photo: Basilica.ro
Source: basilica.ro
