Storing Up Treasures in Heaven

Perhaps we may consider God to be like a Big Banker in the Sky. You know, make sure we have a lot of revenue for our afterlife. And Lent is a good time to increase our heavenly bank account with more church attendance, fasting and almsgiving. All this is well and good. After all Jesus said, “Make your practice to store up heavenly treasure” (Mt. 6:20). Great advice! But Jesus gives many other pieces of advice both stated and lived. Jesus’ relationship to his Father was one of “Not my will, but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). From his Incarnation and birth to his passion and death, Jesus didn’t seem intent on storing up. Instead, he was always giving away. Cynthia Bourgeault writes, “It was not love stored up but loved utterly poured out that opened the gates to the Kingdom of heaven.”