Our gospel today includes Our Lord’s farewell discourse. Our Lord tells us he is going to the Father.  He tells us not to let our hearts be troubled. Now that can be hard for us because so many things can go wrong! Friday — a break in and a flood!

Yet in the midst of all these things Jesus says: Don’t let your heart be troubled.  Because he takes care of us! Our faith isn’t rooted in the things of this world, in working pipes of secured buildings. Just watch the news and you’ll see Jesus’ teaching is true:  moths and vermin can destroy anything and thieves can take it all. So can the Coronavirus. But our faith is rooted in JESUS CHIRST….and he says, Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

I think most of us set out to do just that — storing up treasures in heaven.  I know a lot of people who make a lot of hidden sacrifices, pray a lot of holy hours. I know folks who suffer so unjustly for the sake of this or that. I know folks whose unrequited deeds and whose loving acts make a world of difference. Often these folks don’t get the thanks they deserve. I think of TEACHERS, HEALTH CARE WORKERS, MOMS…

The problem is that the ravages of forgetfulness, dementia, distraction, and the decreased desire for remembrance of things past remind us that we all inevitably forget here on earth all the heavenly treasures we’ve accumulated.

But Jesus speaks about storing up treasures in heaven.  What a consolation to know that JESUS will prepare a place for his faithful in heaven.  That doesn’t just mean that heaven is big enough for us. It means that heaven is designed to receive all the heavenly treasures I’ve made my own here on earth.

That is to say this:  When all the dross is purged away, my loving acts, hidden sacrifices, and unrequited deeds that even I’ve forgotten will be remembered by God, for they are etched in the divine memory. All those fragments of grace, mercy and love that I’ve accumulated over my lifetime — all will be gathered together — nothing will be lost.