Reflection on Mt 6:19
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.
Our nature corrupted by original sin is not concerned with treasures in heaven, where rust does not destroy and where thieves do not steal, but rather is inclined to materialism. It believes material things will provide for our future, and it even indulges the pride of life and looks down on the “have-nots”. Jesus says in the parable of the rich fool who wanted to pull down his barns and build greater: “You fool! This very night your soul will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” Naturally, such people are not mindful of death or the end. Finally, in time of serious illness, and especially in the hour of death, they receive quite a shock. They may even keep the Christian faith, but if their heart clings to possessions, they will hardly get rid of the demon of mammon at the hour of death. Jesus says clearly: “You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Who among men lays up treasures in heaven today? Every practising Christian should do so. It does not mean that you have to give up all possessions and be like a beggar. It means that your heart must not cling to property, but rather you should use it responsibly for the growth and spread of God’s kingdom, that is, for true mission. It is the norm for every Christian to sincerely seek the will of God, even in the matter of how to manage the property he has, knowing that he will also give an account of what has been entrusted to him.
We should not store up treasures here on earth, because we become consumed with greed and want more and more. This is a path on which faith gradually dies out and salvation is put at risk.
When Jesus says that we should make friends for ourselves by unrighteous mammon, he means that we should use wealth and money to do good in accordance with God’s will. By doing so, we lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where neither thieves steal nor rust destroys. The words of Jesus are the key: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If our greatest treasure is eternal salvation, that is, spiritual wealth that lasts forever or, in other words, Jesus Himself, we despise all earthly treasures, i.e. values that are only temporary and that can be taken away from us this very night. None of us knows neither the day nor the hour when we will be separated from these material treasures.
Moreover, in this time of the Great Reset plan, banking and financial frauds, or efforts to introduce a digital currency, it may happen that the wealthiest, who felt secure with their money and property, will turn beggars overnight. So relying on earthly treasures, or material security, is a big fraud and self-deception. Let us be wise and make the most of our time, laying up for ourselves treasures in heaven where thieves do not steal.
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