Just two weeks ago I attended the funeral of the mother of one of my brother Jesuits. It was a deeply emotional time for him and his family. For all of us, it made us aware of the stark reality of death. The homilist spoke of the memories of his own mother’s death the previous year. Death reminds us that one day this life will end. Death reminds us that one day we will return to the dust from which we came, with nothing.

The rich man we have been reflecting on this week is also given a rude awakening by God. “Fool!” God says, “this night your soul is required of you.” He has lived his whole life with his eyes closed and with his heart set on the wrong priorities. He has amassed wealth and ensured his own comfort and security. He has not saved up a single spiritual penny.

When we die, we go empty-handed into the grave. All the material possessions we may have acquired will become the responsibility of those we leave behind. But what happens to our heavenly treasures? What delights God is love, truth, peace, and joy. He invites us into this delight by calling us to live lives of service and peace-making. When we fill our lives with these heavenly treasures we become more and more aware of God’s life and love in the world. Our eyes are opened to God’s presence in this life and this prepares us for our deeper closeness to God in the next; as St Catherine of Siena says, “It's heaven all the way to heaven!”

Take a moment to look at your life and consider what treasures you are storing up. Some may be material and earthly, aimed at increasing your security. What will happen to these when you die? Some may be spiritual and heavenly, aimed at love and peace. What will happen to these when you die?