Sunday August 7, 2022

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DISCOVER TODAY: Whatever enhances our union with God — and only this — is a treasure that we’ll enjoy for all of eternity.

Good News Reflection for:

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 7, 2022

Today’s Prayer:

Lord Jesus: Grant me the grace for persevering in Faith and for searching You every day with greater effort. Help me to be Your instrument to encourage my neighbors to wait and trust You firmly. Amen.

Subscribe to Today’s Saint Quote & Prayer:
gnm.org/SaintQuotes/

Today’s Readings:

Wisdom 18:6-9
Ps 33:1, 12, 18-22
Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
Luke 12:32-48
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080722.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/2022-08-07

How to receive all that God offers

We’re told in this Sunday’s Gospel reading that God is “pleased” to give us his kingdom, which includes eternal life in heaven as well as all the benefits of his love and goodness here on earth.

God does not withhold anything good from us. But do we avail ourselves of all he offers?

Jesus explains: If you value earthly treasures more than you treasure opportunities to share God’s love and blessings with others, your hands are full of nothing that will last. If your “money bags” are filled with worldly goals that push God out, or selfish plans that push others out, or ungodly relationships that push holiness out from your life, there isn’t much room for the wondrous and eternal gifts of God. “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”

Anything not of God is detrimental to us and, in the end, pointless, because it does not unite us to God and we cannot take it to heaven. We need to trade it in for the inexhaustible treasures that come from God on this 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Jesus isn’t saying that we have to literally sell all of our worldly possessions in order to make room for divine treasures. What matters is our motive for having these things. Are they used for serving the kingdom of God or are they serving only earthly, temporary, selfish purposes?

Whatever enhances our union with God — and only this — is a treasure that we’ll enjoy for all of eternity.

Jesus warns us not to waste time being lazy about purging our lives of earthly treasures. We don’t know when the Master will come to take us away to the heavenly banquet of eternal union with God. Will we be ready? Not if we’re more interested in feeding our worldly desires.

This is why God, in his great mercy, provides Purgatory. Separation from earthly treasures (the purging) is painful when we prefer them over heavenly goods; Jesus describes this as the “beatings” that the Master’s servants get.

Why wait for that? Now is the time to prefer only the kingdom of God and build up our cache of gifts that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today to prepare? What attitudes, what goals, and what plans do you have that don’t assist the kingdom of God? What habits or addictions? Unloving behaviors? Unforgiveness and unresolved conflicts? Take these worthless treasures to the Sacrament of Reconciliation to clean them out of your life, with Christ’s help, so that you can make room for more heavenly treasures.

Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
Describe an earthly attachment you used to have and explain how God helped you let go of it. What divine treasure did you gain?

Thank you for reflecting with us on this 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time!

To help you reflect further on this, go to our Faith Boosters: “Joy comes from a keen sense of God” @ https://wordbytes.org/faith-booster-minis/joy-comes-from-a-keen-sense-of-god/.

© 2022 by Terry A. Modica

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