We all have things in our lives that we treasure: memories, events, activities, and materials that bring joy and happiness to our lives. If we’re having a bad day, being reminded of a particularly enjoyable moment in our lives can turn our emotions around. There might be an upcoming trip we’re looking forward to with great anticipation. We might have a regular activity that is the high point of our week. There may be someone with whom we particularly enjoy visiting on a regular basis.
All these things we treasure here on Earth are good as they bring a measure of joy to our lives, but are they our only treasures? Are they the only things that are important to us? We are challenged by Our Lord’s words in today’s Gospel to reevaluate where our treasure really is: “For where your treasure really is, there also will your heart be.” We place our focus on what we think is important. If we only treasure the things of Earth, our hearts will remain only on the things of Earth, but if we treasure the things of Heaven, our hearts will dwell on the things of Heaven.
It’s important for us to focus on Heavenly things. As Christians, Earth is not our homeland; we are not destined to remain on Earth forever. Instead, we have been given a Heavenly homeland, a homeland that will last forever. While we are here on Earth, we’re like Abraham who was promised by God a land for his descendants. Abraham, who “sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country,” is the example for our lives on Earth. He didn’t stop in one place, saying, “This is enough for me. I’m staying here.” Instead, he spent his life wandering throughout the land, obeying God and traveling to an unknown foreign land.
We too are called by God to wander through our lives as pilgrims to the Promised Land, but we are not seeking a chunk of ground here on Earth that God has promised us. Our lives on Earth are passing, like “strangers and aliens”. As the Letter to the Hebrews puts it, we “desire a better homeland, a heavenly one.”
While many of us might think our lives on Earth are good, we all are seeking more. This is why commercial advertising is so effective. The advertisers try to convince us that our lives would be better if we bought some product, or took some trip, or drank the right kind of beer, and so on. We are always looking for a better life, one without pain, without difficulty, without tears.
This better life has been promised to us, and it goes far beyond anything here on Earth. Jesus tells us, “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.” God the Father wants to give us the Kingdom of Heaven. He wants all of us to enter into the Promised Land where there will be no more pain, no more difficulties, no more tears. The joy that we all seek is there beyond our imagining.
On our own, however, we can’t find this homeland. If you’ve ever been out in a desolate place where there are few roads and landmarks, you know how easily you could become lost without some guidance. In the same way, we need guidance in our lives to help lead us to the homeland we seek.
Because God the Father wishes for us to enter into our Heavenly inheritance, he has given us the guidance we need to find our way home. When we follow Our Lord Jesus Christ and His teachings, we have a sure path that will lead us into our true homeland. If we wish to enter that homeland, we need to seek what Our Lord said and did, joyfully following Him. We also need to have a willingness to set aside our own thoughts and beliefs if they are contrary to the Truth revealed by Christ.
This journey through life will not be easy, but will lead to a treasure beyond our imagining. The treasure is waiting for us in Heaven. Are our hearts set on them?
