What do you treasure in life? My treasure in this world are letters, many are over 40 years old from loved ones; words of love and encouragement. They are things that I still look at from time to time hearing in my mind’s eye the voices of departed loved ones. A vulnerable and fragile treasure of paper; irreplaceable if lost or damaged.

Attachment to things is part of human nature. Attachment begins early. We form an attachment to our parents immediately at the time of our birth, particularly to our mother. It’s as though we are created to be attached in some way, within our families, to our friends, and to God our loving Father. We are not fully human without being attached in some way.

Jesus in his humanity had his attachments too. In particular an attachment to His friends and His followers, including, of course his mother. 

But we need to keep our attachments in perspective if we are not to become a captive, enslaved to the things that we think are our treasure, in particular those material possessions that we convince ourselves that we cannot do without. Without discernment our treasure can and will become our millstone.

But be encouraged. The Father has as a free gift for us, an unimaginable treasure; his kingdom. This kingdom is a kingdom of both “now” and “not yet”. It is here and now through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Through Jesus we already participate in the divine life of God through the love of God and our neighbour and the sacraments. The kingdom is also a kingdom of “not yet” as we await the end of time when Jesus will return in glory (as he insists that he will). In this Sunday's gospel Jesus, tells us to be ready for the moment of his promised return, he says that we must remain “dressed for action”. None of us knows when the end time will be, but every day of our existence it is the end time for someone, somewhere, as it will be for us one day too

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The treasure of the kingdom is not gold silver and jewels, the treasure is found in the gentleness of heart, the tenderness of embracing a person in distress, a smile and greeting to the homeless and destitute on street corner, the loving caress of parent to child, accompanying people with compassion in the distress of sickness or bereavement. This is a treasure trail that is the path to eternal life, light, peace and joy.

Today ask the Holy Spirit to help you to take a look into your heart, what is your treasure? 

As always please be assured of my daily prayers for your needs and intentions.

Fr Chris