Luke 12:32-48 Where Your Treasure Is
“Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” In one sentence, St. Paul summaries for us the three theological virtues: faith, hope and love. Faith is living a life as if all our hopes have come true, which brings us to love God above all things and our neighbor as our self. It is Abraham’s faith in the promises made by God that made him the “Father of many nations.” He breathed, lived and loved as if the promise had been fulfilled, and it was credited to him. It was St. Paul’s faith that made him the Apostle of the Gentiles. He lived, breathed and died as if the world was coming to an end. And it was credited to him. He lived each day as if he were dying.
“Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.” (Ps 33:12b) You have been chosen by the Lord, just like our ancestors were chosen before us, to run in the darkness and head towards the light. “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” The current state of our heart (faith) will determine how far and fast we can run towards the light. Some of us may need bypass surgery, or quadruple bypass surgery, or even a heart transplant.
Just yesterday I traveled two hours away for a retreat out in Cleburne, Texas. I wasn’t even sure what the retreat was for but I was more than willing to help out with Confessions and other Sacraments. I wasn’t even sure if I they needed me to celebrate Mass. All I knew was that this group needed a priest, and I said yes. As I was traveling, I passed a truck driver that was apparently having engine problems. He waved me down but I passed by him. There was another car in front of mine and we both passed the stranded man. The fact that he had tried to get my attention and appeared to be frustrated caught my attention. But I had a retreat. I was needed. Also, I was a bit nervous since the road was not traveled by many and the temperature was already well over 100. I didn’t want to get dirty and I didn’t want to have any problems. Regardless, I couldn’t get this man out of my mind. So after fifteen minutes, I turned around and returned to the site. Someone else had arrived before me and was helping the man. I asked him if he needed anything. He saw that I was a priest and he thanked me for stopping. Everything was under control. I asked him if he needed any water. He told me no. I asked him again if I could do anything for him. He looked at me and said, “Can you hear my confession?” I thought he was kidding. He wasn’t…”Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”
At that moment I realized that my heart is my compass that will always lead me to where my life will find fulfillment. If my heart is damaged by material possessions [fat] or sin and vice [cholesterol], then I will never arrive to or achieve my life purpose.
The Lord today is inviting us to lose the fat! “Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” The money bag is your heart. Inside is faith, hope and love. Is it empty?
If you feel you cannot "lift up your heart" on your own, then I invite you to go on spiritual exercises.
The money bag is your heart. Inside is faith, hope and love. Is it empty?
ReplyDeleteFor me, I think faith, hope and love are in there, but they are cramped by other things like pride, vanity, judgements, unforgivenss... those things are like parasites that suck the life blood out of me and don't want to leave.
My goal is to remove the parasites so faith, hope and love can grow and crowd out or consume the vices that remain. And that seems to require a long delicate surgery.
Lord, You are the surgeon. I trust in You!