“Sell your possessions and give alms.”
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
“You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Is your treasure of this world or are you rich in love, faith, hope, charity, and trust in our Lord’s providence? Are you spiritually prepared in heart, mind and soul to meet your Redeemer King when He comes again?
Back as a young Catholic, I never gave much thought about my spiritual well-being, let alone knew what prayers, fasting, and almsgiving meant. As a young child attending weekly Sunday Mass, receiving Holy Communion and giving love offerings was enough for me.
My mom taught me how to pray at a very tender age especially the Hail Mary and she would bring me for weekly Novenas, teaching me to kneel before the altar and pray the rosary during the rosary month in October during my teenage days. I didn’t understand why but I just prayed anyway out of obedience. I was very much a Sunday Catholic and soon after, stopped praying the rosary totally.
All this changed after 40 years in 2017 when I felt a desire to start my own spiritual journey. I joined the Burning Bush programme, read the whole Bible for the first time of my entire life during COVID-19 lockdown, by participating in my Bible-by-Pentecost 2021, 2022 and was moved by the Holy spirit to attend church retreats, rallies, the Praise and Worship.
Prayer time, fasting, and almsgiving took on a different perspective and became more significant to me. I finally realized how strongly devoted my mom’s faith is. She has found her ‘true treasure in God’ despite having a broken marriage. She cared for her ‘enemy’ and her children. She always gives her time and energy to help others in need. She loves and cares for her family by looking after the home and us. She is ever so rich in love, faith, hope, charity and trust in God despite the experience of physical abuse, she clung to her faith.
As a mother myself, I can now understand the pains, broken-heartedness, and sacrifices she went through as I do my best in living out my own vocation. Christ Jesus is always first in my life.
As my mom grows older and weaker at 94 years young, I look back on her life and reflect on mine. She has always been my role model and I love and respect her dearly. In her good years she diligently read her Bible daily despite her low primary education, and always with a dictionary by her side. She is unable to do that now and is dependent on me to bring home communion for her every week.
Is she ready to meet Jesus when He comes? Has she suffered for Christ in her love for other? I truly believe she is ready and “dressed for action” when He comes again.
As for me, I am still ‘work in progress’, praying, hoping and drawing closer to Him daily step by step. Have you found your treasure? Is your heart where it’s meant to be?
Are you ready?
Written by
Ministry of Lectors