As the Gospel warns us today, we can store up our treasures here on earth, where these treasures are ephemeral and not long lasting, or we can store up our treasures in heaven, where they will last for eternity. On our journey of faith, we are called to decide what treasure matters most to us.
Spiritually, when we are very materially well off, that unfortunately can have an effect on our spiritual values. I remember coming back from the missions in South America to visit my family and friends in southern California, a place that puts a lot of emphasis on earthly treasures, on what is on the outside and on the surface. I remember visiting some friends who lived in a very upper class area of Los Angeles. They lived in very nice homes and had very expenses cars and had a lot of very nice material possessions. However, they did not seem content with what they had, they seemed to desire so much more of these material things. Coming back from the missions where people lived in structures built from scrap materials, where most people did not have electricity or clean water, their attitudes really made an impression on me.
When is enough “enough”? It is never enough when we see earthly treasures as our ultimate goal. I read an article about Chelsea Clinton talking about how she didn’t care about money and how money meant nothing to her. Yet, in the same article, it spoke about the luxurious apartment in New York City that is valued at over $13 million, that she and her husband spent millions of dollars in renovations. When so many in our society are trying to pay off their car loan or struggling to afford basic medical care, it can be insulting hearing someone who lives in such luxury declare that money and earthly treasures mean nothing to them. Indeed, where are our treasures in life? And what importance do we place on the values of God’s Kingdom in the way we live out our lives of faith?
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