Aug. 11, 2019: 19th Sunday C
Aug. 11, 2019: 19th Sunday C
Do you ever notice that what’s advertised on TV is not exactly the reality? Take for example the TV ads for Disney World. It features smiling, laughing families having the time of their life at the park with Mickey Mouse in the Magic Kingdom. However, even after investing thousands of dollars and energy planning for the right accommodation, meals, and entertainment, the reality is sometimes vastly different from splashy and catchy ads. A parishioner shared that in her recent trip with her family to Disney World, she witnessed some families having meltdowns right in the middle of the crowd. Blistering heat, waiting in long lines, tired feet, over-priced stuffed animals have contributed to families arguing about not ever coming back to Disney World. It is tempting to think that our earthly Magic Kingdom can be achieved through the right investment of time and money, yet storing these earthly treasures does not guarantee us feeling secure.
Our Lord said, “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.” Our journey back to God is partly through our work life, family life, and community life. We cannot all be like St. Francis of Assisi, selling off everything we have, beg on the street, and pray. We need to strike a balance between the world we live in and prepare for Heaven to where we’re called. If we’re too attached to our work or material goods and there is no longer laughter, prayer, or love in our homes, then we have lost our balance and focus by placing too much emphasis on the earthly treasures.
Jesus urges us to stay awake and focus on the treasure in heaven because our life on earth is a short wait for His return. He said, “Be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.” Being awake and watchful doesn’t mean that we stay glued to the political and financial news in order to make the right market moves. Instead, Our Lord calls us to be alert to his action in our hearts and in our lives through silence, deep prayer, humility, and obedience. The reward for the faithful disciple is the heavenly banquet after the judgment. Being watchful and ready means that we live consistently in a moral way that we are always ready to give an account to God how we have lived. Think about the movie of our lives that Jesus will show us at our judgment; will we be embarrassed to witness a replay of what we watched, how we spoke to others, and how we treated others?
The other day, I was watching a news piece on how Donna Britt, a former anchor on WAFB, was doing. She has Lou Gehrig's disease (also known as ALS) in which her nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord deteriorated to the point that she is no longer able to move, speak, and eat well. She shared with her viewers, “I ask that you don’t pray for me to be totally healed...I think my paralysis is permanent. What I would like is for you to pray that I am comforted and that my family is comforted and that we greet this thing as a blessing, which we try to do. Because there’s nothing like this to help you prioritize your life, and I think that’s healthy.” As a daughter of a struggling Baptist preacher and losing her mom at a young age, Donna’s faith in Jesus carried her through the harsh realities of life. Her treasure is her husband, her children, grandchildren, and many friends she has made over the years. She was married 38 years ago underneath an oak tree at LSU. She and her husband didn’t have much, so the reception was right there underneath the tree with sliced watermelon for refreshment. Happiness in her marriage and her life does not depend on how much they have; joy and fulfillment in her life come from her humble family life and deep friendships. Donna said recently, “I’ve had an excellent life and been very blessed. I couldn’t want for more.”
We may be tempted to despair when things don’t go well and when we’re dissatisfied by what we own in comparison to what others have. In such times we remember Our Lord’s caution that we may be trying to store up treasures on this earth. Only when our lives are centered on finding God’s blessing in everyday moments, both good and bad, do we begin to realize that we are storing treasures in heaven. Let us take some time this week to ponder whether we are chasing after earthly treasures or walking with Jesus on the way to the Father.
Our Lord said, “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.” Our journey back to God is partly through our work life, family life, and community life. We cannot all be like St. Francis of Assisi, selling off everything we have, beg on the street, and pray. We need to strike a balance between the world we live in and prepare for Heaven to where we’re called. If we’re too attached to our work or material goods and there is no longer laughter, prayer, or love in our homes, then we have lost our balance and focus by placing too much emphasis on the earthly treasures.
Jesus urges us to stay awake and focus on the treasure in heaven because our life on earth is a short wait for His return. He said, “Be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.” Being awake and watchful doesn’t mean that we stay glued to the political and financial news in order to make the right market moves. Instead, Our Lord calls us to be alert to his action in our hearts and in our lives through silence, deep prayer, humility, and obedience. The reward for the faithful disciple is the heavenly banquet after the judgment. Being watchful and ready means that we live consistently in a moral way that we are always ready to give an account to God how we have lived. Think about the movie of our lives that Jesus will show us at our judgment; will we be embarrassed to witness a replay of what we watched, how we spoke to others, and how we treated others?
We may be tempted to despair when things don’t go well and when we’re dissatisfied by what we own in comparison to what others have. In such times we remember Our Lord’s caution that we may be trying to store up treasures on this earth. Only when our lives are centered on finding God’s blessing in everyday moments, both good and bad, do we begin to realize that we are storing treasures in heaven. Let us take some time this week to ponder whether we are chasing after earthly treasures or walking with Jesus on the way to the Father.
