My homily includes a list of 98 things I treasure in my life... (audio and text)

If a widget doesn't appear above, click here!

 

I think these scriptures would stump me as a preacher, were it not for that one line in the gospel:

 "Where you’re treasure is, 

        there also will your heart be…”

 

That one line comes in the larger context of what Jesus said,  

"Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Just sell your belongings, give to the poor, and seek after treasure that doesn't wear out, treasure a thief can't reach, treasure a moth won't destroy. For where your treasure is, there are also will your heart be.”

And that one line is the key to understanding the parable of the master returning and finding the servants.

Jesus is the Master. We are the servants. When he returns to meet us at the end of our lives, what will he find us doing? And remember - we don't know the day or the hour when he's going to come back! He could come back any time. What will he find us doing? Will he find us squandering all that he's given us? Or will he find us as the faithful servants, sharing what we have of those in need - our hearts filled with treasure that doesn't wear out, treasure a thief can't reach, a moth can't destroy… For where our treasure is, there are also will be our heart.

What will be our treasure? Where will our hearts be when the Lord comes back to meet you and me?

I remember - this is a number of years ago now, but I remember…  I had just bought a new car. And on a Sunday morning, I was standing in the sacristy before mass, looking out the window at my new car. And I was thoroughly delighting in my new car.

Just then, a parishioner walked into sacristy behind me and said, "What are you looking at, Father?”  I snapped out of my new car reverie. I was embarrassed - and I realized that I was taking just a little too much pleasure in this thing. It was like my golden calf. I realized, at least for that moment: my treasure was a Toyota Camry.  And-  at least for that moment - that's where my heart was.

It's easy for all of us to treasure things.. Things that a thief can steal, things a moth can destroy. Things that will wear out and fall apart. Things that will become out of date and passé. Things that cost all kinds of money, treasure that might have been used for much better purposes, maybe for serving those in need. Things that are new and shiny and entertaining and impressive.  Things that can easily become what we treasure, what we work for, what we worry about, what we take great care to preserve… But they may be the very things that will leave us embarrassed when the Master returns and reminds us that: where your treasure is, there also is your heart…

I suspect it's a function of aging, but I know that as I grow older, I realize more and more the things that are really important to me, the things I truly treasure, the things I hope my heart will be filled with when one day - at an hour, I don't know - the Lord, my Master will return -surprise- to take me home.

So, I have made a list of the things I treasure, and I’d like to share that list with you this afternoon, not because it's better than anybody else's list - it's just the only list I have. And I share it with you to encourage you tonight, tomorrow or during the coming week, to encourage you to sit down with a piece of paper and a pencil, or your keyboard, to make a list of things you treasure, things that you hope will be the stuff in your heart when the Lord comes.

 

So here's a list of the treasures I hope will fill my heart:

• a warm summer's day

• a child's eyes, open wide in wonder

• a friend's hand on my shoulder,

• freedom - which I too easily and too often 

    take for granted

• even a hint of the presence of Jesus in my life

• Georgetown, Colorado

• the pure sound of an a cappella group

• a starry sky on a clear night

• a friend's face in a crowd

• being alive and pretty healthy at 78

• memories of my porch, in Monument Square

• my family

• feeling seen, known, understood, accepted

• picking up with an old friend

   right where we left off years ago

• hugs

• sensing the Spirit of God moving in my life

• the mercy of Jesus

• reading something I wish I had written

• my faith

• good music, well played, beautifully sung

• sunshine

• every day of my 52 years of ministry

• people without pretense, 

    guile or hidden agenda

• hope, especially in hellish times

• flowering trees, budding and blooming

• memories of loved ones

• Concord, Massachusetts

• hardy laughter

• the sun, warm on my skin

• a well written poem

• friends, old, new, and those I've forgotten

• the wonder that Jesus knows

   and calls me by name

• watching crops grow from seedlings to harvest

• coffee, black

• good news of any kind

• a full moon

• preaching God's word

• sitting on my sister's porch up on Main Street

• clouds

• the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist

• sharing faith and prayer

    with people who believe and pray

• finally doing what needed to be done

• the promise of eternal life

• the kiss of a breeze or the push of the wind

• words: words to speak, words to write,

   words to read, rainbows

• criticism that helps me grow

• the peace that comes from reconciling

• warm hands and warm feet in the cold

• the pounding of ocean waves

• the peace on the face of a sleeping baby

• remembering what I'd forgotten

• classical jazz

• a kind word from or to a stranger

• praying with the inmates

   at Clear Creek County Jail

• naps

• telling the truth

• celebrating mass

• writing my blog

• slippers

• an owl hooting late at night.

• imagination

• knowing when to speak and when not to speak

• remembering those who have gone before me

• walking into a place

   where everybody knows my name

• raindrops on the roof, 

    on the window, on my face

• the Catholic Church, almost all the time

• a word I needed to hear

• the wisdom of human experience

• a good cry

• the gentle, healing hand of Jesus

• a real letter in the mail

• all the sacraments

• the deep satisfaction of seeing justice done

• being on time

• the bridge over Clear Creek 

    at Eighth and Griffith

• sounds and scents that unlock memories

• solitude

• the joy of serving someone in need

• seeking and finding the truth

• a good night's sleep

• conversation: good, honest, and substantive

• the power of Jesus in my weakness

• watching a dad watch his son with love

• silence, longed for, found, and healing

• doing the next right thing

• a glass of Sauvignon Blanc - from New Zealand

• human creativity

• the amazing grace of Jesus

• the patience others have with me

• leaving behind some foolishness

• the sound of the song of people at prayer

• trusting that all shall be well

   and finding out how true that is

• exchanging a smile with a stranger

• making peace with my neighbor,

   with God, with myself

• living in the moment, a day at a time

• discovering, remembering, believing

   that I am truly loved

• and did I mention – Jesus!

 

With the exception of slippers, coffee, and wine, I think everything on that list is free. The best things in life are indeed free. Very free.

So I hope my list might encourage you to make your own list: a list of the things you treasure… a list to help you discover where your heart is - or where your heart wants to be…

 

All this to help you get ready for that day when the Master returns and comes to take you home…

In fact, I’ll bet that my list has already stirred up some thoughts about your own lists, about the treasures in your hearts. So as we go to the Lord's table, come with those treasures, and with a heart filled with thanksgiving for the riches that are yours in your own lives.

 

Come and give thanks to the Lord who treasures us above all things, who put himself last, and all of us first on his list. And who, with his Father, is pleased to give us, you and me, his kingdom.

Tweet   

SUBSCRIBE HERE!