RBWords

     I cannot read these sayings of Jesus without remembering the retreat exercise that was part of student retreats when I was at the University of Arizona.  The students were handed slips of paper and asked to write down their five most important relationships, their five most important possessions, and the five most important activities in their lives.  They would be sitting in a circle and were asked to crumple up the slips of paper beginning with the least important [to them] and toss them into the middle.  It was always an emotional experience for retreatants and directors alike.  However, the end result was to help the students realize what was most important and where their hearts truly "were."

 

     Jesus is challenging the disciples to make the "Kingdom of heaven" their most prized possession so that they would serve it with an undivided heart.  If one looks at all the "stuff" one accumulates, especially out in the garage, perhaps the question might arise, "Why was that particular thing so important?"  In tomorrow's passage, we will hear what Jesus has to say about our anxieties in regard to security.  One also might wonder what would happen if every acquisition were preceded by the question, "How does this help me and others to spread the Kingdom of heaven?"  The heart and its treasures are a source of challenging reflections for all of us.  AMEN