Mark 10: 21b
"One thing you lack," He said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and ;you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
--NIV
In the name of the One Who shows us what we lack, amen.
This week we focus on Christian Charity. Our Lord was moved by the sincerity of a young man who came to Him and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. The man’s problem was that he was focussing on his own works rather than Christ’s work of salvation. So Jesus pointed out to him that he was still holding onto the things of this world.
"Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven," was Jesus’ remedy. Giving to the poor, or as Sunday’s Gospel lesson put it, using dirty money to make friends in this life so that they will welcome you into eternal homes. When we use what God has given us in this life for the glory of His name, we store up treasure in heaven. A great part of that treasure are the people who will be there because we used worldly wealth to help them. They are people who have been moved by our generosity to question, "Why would this person not be so tied to money?" They are also the people who have heard the Gospel because we used our wealth to help spread that Gospel to the far corners of the earth. May the Lord, who richly and daily provides all that you need, bless you investment in heavenly treasures. Amen.
Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, You placed great value on human beings by giving Your Son into death for them. Help us to value them as much