Treasure in heaven

Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time A

What treasures are you storing?

Alexander the Great: A General and King Who Was Power Hungry, Greedy. Alexander became one of the most powerful and wealthy rulers of ancient history. When Alexander knew he was dying, he called upon his loyal generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon; I have three wishes; please carry them out without fail."

First, I want my doctors to carry my body because I want people to know that no doctor is more powerful than death. So, don't let people take life for granted.

Second, I want the path leading to my grave to be scattered with gold, silver, and precious stones as my body is being carried to be buried because I want people to know that not even a fragment of gold will come with me. I want people to realize that running after wealth and power wastes their life and time.

Third, I want both my hands to be kept dangling out of my coffin because I want people to know that we come into this world empty-handed and will go out empty-handed.

The king's last words were, "When you bury my body, don't build any monument and keep my hands outside so that the world knows that the person who won the whole world held nothing in his hands when he died."

What treasures are you storing up?

Jesus is not criticizing our seeking what we need but our greed to possess more and more. Just like in Alexander's story, if he had known to stop when he had had enough of what he needed, he would have lived a happy life.

Are we prepared for heavenly life?

Today's Gospel invites us to get rid of all those things which take up so much space in our hearts so that we would have much more room for things of heaven.

We can store treasures in heaven by living a life of enduring hardship and even sufferings like St. Paul experienced in the first reading.

Jesus also invites us to share the divine treasures in heaven by receiving, using, and sharing what we have for others.

What treasures will we take with us?