“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12.32-34
I want my heart to be set on the things of God. This is my deepest desire when I am at my best. Yet when I am at my worst, I crave only selfish things—temporary pleasures or whatever advances my standing in this life.
Storing up treasures in heaven happens only when we reject earthly gain and turn our eyes to the Lord. When we reject sinful pleasures and prideful pitfalls, we can grow as Christ has called us to grow.
Jesus calls His followers His “little flock” because He is the Good Shepherd of their souls. He knows what is best for us. I hear Him saying it with compassion and kindness. Then He tells them how pleased the Father is to give them— to give us—the kingdom. The way to gain that kingdom is not to cling to things that offer only temporary pleasure. Jesus tells us to sell what we have, give to the poor, and we will have treasure in heaven. This runs completely against what the world suggests, because it turns our focus away from ourselves and toward God and others.
No one does this perfectly. Even monks who have taken this call to extreme measures and own nothing are still tempted by pride or the belief that they are better than others. It is human nature, and even they must fight against it. Yet there is something deeply comforting in moving toward simplicity.
Our call is to seek complete surrender to the Lord. It is not an easy calling. It takes every bit of devotion, every ounce of prayer, and every moment and opportunity to turn our eyes to Jesus rather than ourselves.
The famous author and monk Thomas Merton once said, “The secret of interior peace is detachment… You will never be able to have perfect interior peace and recollection unless you are detached even from the desire of peace and recollection.”
This can be my goal—and yours. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can find ourselves walking in the way of holiness.
“O Lord God, you are a good and faithful God. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for allowing us to walk according to your ways. When my love fails, your love remains steadfast. Come now, Holy Spirit – fill me to overflowing. Help me surrender all idols unto your care. I trust you Lord and praise your name. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen