19th Sunday, Treasure in the Heart

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 invisible 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 world 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 moneybox”, 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 his 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).

Religious brothers and sisters, who take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience give up everything to follow Christ closely.

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.

How can young people store up treasure in heaven? We can turn to young saints for their example in storing spiritual treasure from heaven in their heart.

St. Anthony of the desert was a young boy, he gave away his wealth to the poor and then began to live in the desert as a hermit and later founded the first men’s religious order.

St. Joan of Arc became the leader of an army at the age of 17. She was burned at the stake, as a martyr at the age of 19. She gave her life in service of God and her country of France.

The three children of Fatima, Francisco, Lucia and Jacinta gave away their food to poor children and out of penance wore a rope around their waist. Francisco and Jacinta are now canonized saints and Lucia may be canonized someday.

When St. Therese of Lisieux was 14, she had a conversion on Christmas day. She said Jesus came into her heart and converted her, taking her selfish immaturity and banishing it forever.

By the time Blessed Carlo Acutis was 15, he developed the International Eucharistic Miracle display, using his computer. He a personal rule to never waste a single moment. He will be canonized this year.

At the age of 16, Chiara Luce was a young women’s tennis player. She felt pain in her arm, and it was discovered she had cancer in her arm. She immediately offered up her suffering for the salvation of souls, especially young people. She was beatified in 2010.

José Sánchez del Río, was martyred at the age of 14 in Mexico. The government put him to death for refusing to renounce his Catholic faith.

At the age of 14, Saint Dominic Savio risked his life helping the sick in a hospital during a plague and ended up dying from the disease.

When Saint Tarscius was 12, he sent by his bishop to give Holy Communion to Catholics unjustly imprisoned. A group of boys attempted to steal the Hosts from him, but he refused to give the sacred pyx containing the hosts and was martyred.

St. Peter Damien, as a boy, found a coin and thought for some time, about how he might spend his unexpected treasure. When the idea occurred to him, that he might have a Mass offered for his father, he dropped his visions of pleasure, and gave the coin to a priest, to offer a Mass. As a youth, he wore a hair shirt, and did must fasting and prayer. He helped the poor, often providing meals, and serving them himself.

St. John Bosco wrote a book, RoadMap 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 do 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 your parents and you will store up treasure in heaven.