Did you know 30% of our entire congregation is under the age of 18, and because of that I will try on occasion address our youth during homilies, so they can see how the Gospel is applied to their young life too.
In the Gospel today, Jesus said, “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”
The money bags that will not wear out, Jesus is talking about are spiritual bags with acts of charity and love towards others. When one fails to help the poor, or fails to give alms, one is seeking the treasures of this life and not the treasures of heaven.
There is miracle attributed to St. Anthony of Padua with regard to treasure. The funeral of a rich man was being celebrated with great pomp in a city in Tuscany. Anthony was present, and is said to have commented that the dead man did not deserve such honor, since he had exploited and oppressed the poor. Saint Anthony said, “His heart is in his money-box”, echoing our Lord’s words that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be too”.
Following Anthony’s words, a surgeon was called in, who cut open the dead body and found no heart! A little later, when the family opened the dead man’s treasure chest, there was the heart! As a result, the dead man was not buried in the splendid mausoleum he had prepared for himself, but in a cave by the river.
How do we store up treasure in our heart for heaven? Jesus made it clear that those who have given up everything to follow him will be rewarded for what they have done, and the repayment will come not only in the next life, but in this one, at an astonishing rate of interest: “a hundredfold now in this time... and in the age to come eternal life” (Mark 10:30).
Jesus said, “You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Our Lord warned that one should not delay in doing what the Master wants and begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk. If the servant knew the Master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with His will, but acted in a way deserving a severe beating shall be beaten. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.
These words of Jesus remind us to use our God given talents, gifts, and treasure for others and the more gifts, talents and treasure we have the greater accountability we will have of them. By abusing them, and by serious sins, we will be held accountable and receive a severe beating for failing to do will of God and squandering what the Lord has given us for selfish purposes.
This beating can either refer to purgatory or to hell. A light beating means one will be punished in purgatory for what they failed to do for others. A severe beating may refer to someone who grievously failed to help others and knowingly failed to do God’s will.
What about young people? How can they store up treasure in heaven? With regard to money we can turn to young saints for their example.
St. Anthony of the desert, not St. Anthony of Padua, started a religious order of monks, who lived in the desert. When he was a young boy, he gave away his wealth to the poor. When St. Francis of Assisi was a young man, he had a conversion and gave away not only his wealth, but gave away much of his father’s wealth too. He lived a life of poverty and started a religious order later known as the Franciscans. St. Benedict of Nursia, renounced his parent's wealth and lived a life of poverty. He started the Benedictine order. Saint Katherine Drexel’s father was a wealthy banker and when he died, she inherited millions of dollars. She used her money to build schools, orphanages, and hospitals. St. Elizabeth of Hungary, gave away so much food, it upset her husband. She would hide the food to give away, so as to not cause her husband to get angry. One day, when she hid bread in her apron, her husband caught her and demanded that she show what was in her apron, and when she opened her apron, the bread miraculously turned into roses and it was then her husband saw how God was working with her and told her to continue to feed the poor. St. Joan of Arc became the leader of an army at the age of 17 and was burned at the stake, as a martyr at the age of 19. She gave her life in service of God and her country.
St. Dominic, as a student, sold his books to feed the poor in a famine, and offered himself in ransom for a slave.
If children don’t have money, how can their heart be filled with spiritual treasure for heaven? St. John Bosco wrote a book called, Road-map to Heaven. He said the first virtue for youth is obedience to one’s parents and so the heart of a child can be filled with love by honoring and obeying one’s parents.
He said, “Honor your father and mother.” What is it to honor them? “It is to obey, respect and assist them.” He said, “When they command you to so something, do it promptly without showing any opposition. Do not obey as those who shrug their shoulders, shake their heads… These children offend their parents and even God Himself, who commands you through them to do this or that.
“Though almighty, Our Savior taught us to obey, subjecting Himself in all things to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, a humble carpenter. He obeyed His heavenly Father unto death by dying on the Cross. You too must respect your father and mother and never do anything without their permission. Do not show impatience in their presence or reveal their faults.” He said, “One day young Luigi Comollo had to stay away from home longer than his parents allowed. However, he arrived home weeping and humbly asked forgiveness for in involuntary disobedience. You must assist your parents in their needs. Pray to God for them every morning and evening, that He may grant them every spiritual and temporal good.”
Today, let us ask the Virgin Mary to help us have a heart filled with treasure, that is doing God’s will in all things, helping the poor and for those who are young, to obey and respect their parents and you will store up treasure in heaven.