Where Is My Treasure Really?

Today's Gospel reading (Matt. 6: 19~23)  is one of those Scripture passages that leave me pondering its meaning in my own life. In Matthew's gospel we read how Jesus tells his disciples not to store up earthly treasure, but heavenly treasure. I constantly need reminding of this.
Now I am not typically someone who hoards things she doesn't need and shopping sprees are not part of my routine (I think I may be in the small minority of women who hate to shop). Despite that fact though, if I really take stock of my self and my habits, I can find some earthly treasure starting to build up, and they are not always secular, material things either. I mean really, how many prayer cards and spiritual books do I need to collect!
Now things in themselves are not necessarily bad; Jesus wasn't saying they were. He was simply trying to get His disciples, us among them, to see that the earth and all its things will pass, but the things of heaven will not.
When I really take a cold, hard look at myself and the things around me, I can see that I still have many earthly attachments.
One of the more amusing ways that God likes to show me this is through my Magnificat devotional. I can not tell you how many times and in how many places I have left the darn thing! And even more crazy is the lengths I have gone to to go back and retrieve it! I have left it in church and gotten all the way home and then gone back to church in hopes that it would still be there. I have left it in the Adoration chapel and after arriving home after 1AM have seriously thought about going back for it. I love having my Magnificat and take it almost everywhere with me, and this is certainly not a bad thing, but in the end all it is is a book; one, I might add, which will expire at the end of each month. Every time I go in hot pursuit of this little book, I have to grin a bit, because I can just see Jesus and the Father looking at each other, then looking at me and rolling their eyes.
When I get right down to it, all I really need and want is God~ Jesus in the Eucharist; that is my true treasure and where my heart wants to be. It is just amazing that even though I say this and truly desire it to be, how many things I allow to distract me.
I add with a note of caution to this that sometimes it is not just things that we "store up" on this earth, but people and relationships as well. The commandment Jesus gave us is love God and neighbor, and I have a feeling He meant in that order. Again in my own life, especially after my return to my faith, I began to see clearly that there were relationships that were not healthy and did not bear fruit. While I am not one to simply write people off, some relationships have been more to glorify me or the other person and not God. So the relationship needed to end, but the people remain in my prayers.
I leave you with this quote from a reflection by Blosius the Venerable (yes it from Magnificat :) ) It seems to sum up what I have been trying to say here.
"The spiritual man must learn to leave himself and all other things for the love of God. He must possess nothing with any tenacious affection of heart.He must hold fast to no visible and perishable thing, to no passing and created object... He must remember that not only bad things, but even those that are good may become hindrances if they are loved or sought inordinately..."
In our quest for treasure we really need look no further than the the Sacred Heart of Our Lord present in  the tabernacle.

Comments

Mary N. said…
I can see that you made it through exam week alive;)

I don't even know where to start after reading this post. Prayer cards and spiritual books seem to have made their home throughout my house. I don't have a Magnificat but I do have a favorite pair of rosary beads that I lose regularly and search frantically for until I find them. They are from Medjugorje and I am particularly "attached" to them (lol). Occasionally I fast from spiritual reading and certain prayers to make sure my focus is on God and not the "outward trappings" of my faith and I notice that I am anxious when I do this (which speaks for itself). This was an excellent post! It definitely hit home for me :)
Unknown said…
Yes Mary both I and the teens made it through exam week unscathed for the most part :)
I'm glad you liked the post- that Scripture passage hit home for me. We all need to take stock of our lives every now and then- it's so easy to lose focus.
Thanks for your comment and God Bless!
Anne said…
I don't like shopping, either. Although I always say that I could part with any of my belongings anyday, I'm sure if I actually had to, it would be extremely difficult. There is just so much emotion attached to some objects. But by far, I struggle the most with detaching from relationships. I put people on a pedestal again and again, and then cry when they fall off. I forget that they are only human and not God. False idols, I guess you'd call them. Detachment is hard, that's for sure! Lots to work on during this spiritual climb!
Unknown said…
Colleen,
I always think that the what do I need to let go of question is one that God loves to answer- I know I don't always like His answer :)
Continued prayers for Landon and family!
Hugs!