The 9thSunday of Luke – Parable of the Rich Fool

[Mary Naeem]

The 9thSunday of Luke – Parable of the Rich Fool

Where your treasure is, there is your heart

The gospel reading stresses: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth … but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” (Mat, 16. 19-20). It seems that from the very start, man had this deficiency, to lay up treasures. And this is not a chance happening. Man is supported by those things which he treasures. For this reason, the Lord says: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” (Mat, 6.21)

Blessed Augustine said: “Love God and do what you please”. Yes: we must love God, move towards him, and from then on let us not be afraid even to lay up treasures. For if you love God, and he has freed you from sin, it would be foolishness afterwards to live in the same way as you did before knowing God. And the first characteristic of a man who has found the truth, is that he does not take part in stupidities. He is not, so to speak, senseless but lucid, wise, and sensible. It is absurd for someone to remain captive to sin and think in the very same way a modern man thinks: that he must hurry to do this and take care of that, and to quickly acquire something else. It is not by chance that he finds himself in need of this, that, and the other thing. And yet, root and branch he feels that it is senseless. If all your efforts and concerns are focused on the acquisition of earthly treasures, it is impossible for your heart to be in God. Your heart goes to whatever it considers its treasure to be.

When you give alms, when you love, when you forgive others and you are concerned for them, and when you truly think about the spiritual goods the Lord has promised us and not the earthly ones, then you lay up treasures in heaven and your heart is firmly grounded there.

Holy Hesychasterion “The Nativity of Theotokos” Publications.

Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos