Matthew 6:19-20
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Follow Jesus. That is the theme for our new series, "Live Simply." Is there a more prescient reminder this week? Jesus asks us, "where is your treasure?" Not, where is your heart, but where is your treasure? It's easier to measure where our treasure is than is heart. It's easy to deceive ourselves of our own heart. As we say these days, "Put your money where your mouth is." "Talk is cheap."
Are we following Jesus if we are not asking ourselves, where is my treasure? In my humble opinion, no way.
Much has happened this week in our country. If you think Jesus had nothing to do with politics in his day, you would have to ignore his punishment of crucifixion. That was a political punishment. We have seen where Jesus' treasure was, and therefore, his heart. In such turbulent times, we can do no better than follow Jesus, and his ways of nonviolent protest. As followers, we pray and act for peace each and every day, in nonviolent ways. Please pray this week for peace and Jesus' truth. I'll likely say more Sunday.
We pray with St. Francis of Assisi:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
