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03 in Matthew Ocala 7/2/06 Page 1 All teachings of the Lord are most powerful messages with the purpose of granting us the fulness of life. Today's Gospel Lesson comprises of 11 short verses. Short, but great because of their beneficial instruction. As happens with all matters in life, if we as Christians choose to conform and truly follow the Lord's admonitions, life would really be transformed. These 11 verses from the 6th Chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel (v,22-33), are part of the Lord's Sermon on the Mount. This Sermon, delivered on a hillside in Jerusalem, encompasses the complete moral teachings of our Lord. I would strongly recommend, that we become very well acquainted with this Sermon contained in the 5th, 6th and 7th chapters of St. Matthew's Gospel. In this Sermon, after our Lord gave us His prototype prayer, the "Our Father...." He emphasizes the need for us to forgive one another --- to avoid carrying grudges, --- and to seek revenge. He continues to stress the need for us to be free, and always in control of the material things in life, because they really have no lasting value, whereas the soul is eternal. We heard the Lord teaching: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust corrupts them -- and where thieves break through and steal. But, lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth, nor rust corrupts, and where thieves do not break through and steal." The Lord then, completes His teaching by saying: "For where your treasure is, there also, will be your heart." How very true! Isn't if a fact, that wherever we have focused our life's attention, there, most assuredly will be our heart? And, it is here, where the great danger lies, which so often entraps so many humans. I think, that all of us will agree, that the desire to acquire, --to gain --- and to constantly seek to increase our holdings and treasures, is almost instinctive. The Lord does not condemn this endeavor, providing, that it does not engulf and consume us. He knew well the fact, that the earthly treasures posed the danger of absorbing us to the point, that all the eternal values are totally overlooked. I don't think that we have to do a lot of thinking to understand the validity of this thought. If we are not vigilant regarding our mission in life, we can be deluded, that the acquisition of earthly treasures of themselves only will make us free. But, odd as it may seem, so many acquire material wealth thinking that they would become free, and what happens? They end up being slaves, serving only the material, whereas, the material should at all times be subservient to us. Experience has proven, that so many people set an economic goal in their life, and when this is achieved, almost automatically, a higher goal is set, and of course, these goals just keep on coming, until the person, who lives only for the material, will unexpectedly hear the words spoken in the Parable of the foolish rich man: "O you foolish, foolish man; this night your soul is demanded of you; what then, and for whom will your riches be?" In today's lesson the Lord also states: "We cannot serve two Masters; for either you will hate the one, and love the other, or else you will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon.!" The serving of two Masters is readily understood; and I am sure, that all of us could cite examples. In my service to the Church over the past 6 decades, I have witnessed the enslavement of so many, many people to Mammon. While they possessed more than they could ever have used, they were foreign, or at best remote, regarding selfless acts; -- acts of loving kindness; --- acts of charitable endeavors;--- acts of charity toward their fellow human; all of which of course, do presuppose some element of sacrifice. I have also observed, that in most cases of human needs and disasters, the help by and large came mostly from those, who were just about making it, as we say. These people had the love of God in their hearts, and it was not unusual, that through their contributing, they had denied themselves of some pleasure, which perhaps, they could have added in their life. But, their helping, filled their hearts with joy, because, they truly gave substance to the Lord's words: "For it is in giving that we receive!" Yes, it may appear rather natural, when we think, that only by amassing earthly treasures we will become secure. However, the Lord stated: "Which one of you is able to add even one day to his or her life?" I think we all agree, that merely the acquisition of the many and varied earthly treasures cannot bring fulfillment as so many believe; because it is a fact of life, that no matter how much one acquires, there is still a great void in their life. Why? Simply because, the soul has been neglected and is famished. The spiritual treasures, deal with the soul, --- the breath that God gave to all of us, and it is the soul which can give us true fulfillment, and have the continuity in Heaven, as mentioned by the Lord. Some of these spiritual treasures are: "Eternal Life; -Indescribable Bliss; -- Limitless knowledge; -- True Glory, and Absolute Justice in the Eternal Kingdom of God." And, while it may be difficult for our finite minds, to conceive this Glory of God, it is nonetheless true, because the Lord expressed it. I feel positive that you all have read these past days about the billionaire Warren Buffet contributing 30 billion dollars to the Bill Gates Foundation, which already has about 30 billion. These are astronomical sums, but I was impressed, that Bill Gates is gradually removing himself from the every day chores of Microsoft, and is devoting more and more time to charity, to really give life to the inanimate dollars, which he possesses. Asked why he didn't enrich his own Foundation with the 30 billion, Mr. Buffet proudly stated, that Bill Gates would do a much better job to manage the Foundation. Yes, there is a lot to be said about these two great magnates! The positive Christian is always conscious of his, or her earthly mission, and does have a proper balance with his or her physical and spiritual counterparts. The positive Christian knows, that either part should never suffer, at the expense of the other. Both, the body and soul are very essential. Both were given to us as a trust from God, our Creator. It is we, who make the choices though, through our own free will, to exercise this trust, and to maintain the necessary balance of body and soul. Unfortunately, so many people do capitulate to the material, so that their total being is consumed, gravitating strictly to the acquisition of earthly treasures. They live as though this world alone, is their permanent abode; and they simply refuse to envision, that someday, they will come to the end of life's road. Oftentimes, when they do come down with a serious illness, they may sense then, that they possibly could be approaching the end of life's road, and instead of nurturing their soul, and attempting to make amends with God, they are troubled with the problem, as to what will happen to their possessions, for which they literally sacrificed their life, and to which, they had clung so zealously. That is why the Lord emphasized, that simply gathering earthly treasures, without a link to Heaven, -- these treasures of themselves are susceptible to corruption. The Lord completed this part of His teaching by admonishing: "Seek ye first, the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; then all the other things shall be added unto you!" Some years ago, I read a short story of a successful shoe manufacturer, who had risen high on the economic ladder, but at the same time, he had not neglected his spiritual counterpart. This manufacturer had chosen also, to simultaneously rise high on the spiritual ladder with his varied works of charity. I was so impressed reading his credo, or philosophy. When the occasion warranted, he would repeat: "Firstly God; --- then, we humans; --- and thirdly the shoes!" Fr. George Papadeas
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