If you can dream it...

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081925.cfm

One of the great inspirational fallacies that is highly popular in America is this: If you can dream it, you can do it. While I will be the first to encourage someone to pursue their dreams, we do have to realize that some things just might not be possible. I have had dreams of flying through the air around my neighborhood with no mechanical assistance - this doesn't mean that I can do it. Yet the idea that we can overcome the challenge of the impossible is very attractive, intriguing and inspirational to us.

This is because we were made for a place of impossibilities. We were made for heaven. Our sinfulness, brought to reality by Adam and Eve, made heaven an impossibility - for everyone. In the time of today's Gospel, Jesus was preparing people to dream about heaven again, because He was going to open the door - actually, more specifically, He was going to BE THE DOOR. There is no other way to gain heaven than Jesus. He is THE DOOR. No amount of effort, gumption, know-how, riches, wealth or acclaim can get you there.

For the poor that followed Jesus, this was an easy sell. They had nothing in which to believe. Giving up everything and following Him was as easy as, well, following Him. They had nothing to give up, nothing to lose. The rich on the other hand, had three important barriers. One was that they might have to risk what they have, their possessions. A young rich man walks away from the opportunity to follow Jesus in the previous verses, because he has many possessions - and Jesus calls many to renounce their material wealth.

There is a second deeper barrier to following Jesus and seeing Him as THE DOOR: it would mean relinquishing the idea that if they could dream it, they could do it. If the rich want something, they buy it, want to travel somewhere - buy a ticket, want a new adventure - invest in it, want a new experience - pay someone to give it to you. While most of us are not THAT rich, we do still fall into the trap of the American way - I am master of my own success. I make things happen. While we do make decisions and apply our skills and talents - all of those talents, even our ability to work hard or have dogged determination - all come from God.

The third barrier is a Jewish cultural one but might sound familiar. They saw the blessing of their wealth as a sign of favor from God; an indication that they were living as God intended. While the rich in our society might not connect God so strongly with it, they see their wealth as an affirmation that they are 'getting it right.'

I would propose that in light of this, Jesus' camel and the eye of the needle example is not even hyperbole. He is literally saying it is impossible. No matter how wealthy, talented, good-looking and fashionable they are - they can't get into heaven... without Jesus. To get in 'with Jesus' they have to acknowledge Him as the source of all good things, and recognize, with humility that He is indeed the gate.

If you can dream it, God can do it. Your dream for yourself will never be as grand as God's dream for you.