We spend so much of our time worrying about the things that are least important in the greater scheme of things: how I am dressed; what car I drive; whether the neighbours like the look of my garden; where we will take our annual holiday; the cellphone; the lawnmower; what people are saying about me; etc.
Jesus’ teaching to us
today is in the context of telling us to sell our possessions and give alms to people in need. We have all seen how our apparently important concerns become preoccupations, and then obsessions and fixations. Ultimately, we lose sight of what is most important in our lives – the love for God, our neighbour, our families, and Mother Earth. We should be using our time, mental energy and goods for the benefit of the people around us, rather than for amassing further “treasures” that will make us
more preoccupied, and further the cycle of fixation.
Suppose we concentrate more on our spiritual health, our relationship with God, our integration into society, and our concern for the well-being of people around us. In that case, this can be considered to be storing up treasure in heaven. This will be advantageous to us in the future. When we have to let go of our earthly treasures, we will be less attached, and the letting go will
be less traumatic.
It is not easy to live with this kind of detachment (or a balanced “indifference” in terms of Ignatian spirituality). We are not encouraged to be detached from people or those who are important in our lives. But Jesus is prompting us to consider what and who are most significant to us, and why we allow them this significance, and ultimately, how they might direct us away from what is more vital in the greater
scheme of things.
What is preoccupying me today? Can I be more detached from the cares of this world? Where should I be placing more of my emotional energy?
Reflections by Peter Knox
SJ
