If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven…
—Matthew 19:21

The Gospels record an interesting story of a rich young ruler who came to Jesus to find out how to obtain eternal life. Jesus advised him to keep the law of Moses, to which the young man replied that he had kept it from his youth. Then Jesus said to him: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven…“. When he heard this, the young man went away sorrowful. After the young man had gone, Jesus said to His disciples: “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven… When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, ‘Who then can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said to them, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” [Mat.19:21-26] So what is impossible for man but possible for God?

However rich a man may be, it is impossible for him to buy back his soul. Jesus said: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” [Mat.16:26] But with the Lord God all things are possible! In a wonderful parable about the kingdom of heaven the Lord shows how He does what is impossible for man: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” [Mat.13:44] This man is Jesus, who, as the apostle Paul writes, “though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” [2 Cor.8:9]

In the story of the young ruler, the man could not sell everything to obtain treasure in heaven, but in the parable of the kingdom of heaven we see a completely different picture: the Lord sells everything and obtains this treasure. What is this treasure? Our souls, for they cannot be bought back with earthly riches, but only with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Now let’s read again the words Jesus spoke to the young man, but this time in the light of what Jesus has done: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven…“. Glory to Jesus for doing for man what man could not do: He “sold everything and gave to the poor”, as it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” [2 Cor.9:9] And now, thanks to our Jesus, we are perfect and we have treasure in heaven, for “your life [soul] is hidden with Christ in God.” [Col.3:3]

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” [3 Jhn.1:2] <3