"For where your treasure is..."

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” ~Jesus from Matthew 6:21


I first saw the movie, Brother Sun, Sister Moon, in the early 70’s. The film depicts the life of Francis of Assisi, the patron of ecology and animals. In one scene, Francis and his rag-tag band of friars travel barefoot to meet with the Pope. Surrounded by the finery of the Pontiff and cardinals, Francis begins to recite from the Gospels, ending with the quote from Jesus—“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” During my youth, when I took something to heart, I often took things a little too literally. So when Francis says to his father who is consumed with material wealth—“do as I do, father, it’s all so simple. Give it all away”, I occasionally did just that. I gave it all away, even a thoughtful spiritual present my mother brought me from Mexico. It took me some time to reinterpret the meaning of this film and that passage from Matthew—“for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
I learned something about responsibility and stewardship as a student of yoga. Swami Satchidananda would encourage us to leave a place better than we found it, starting with the public rest rooms. I began to wipe out the sink and put paper towels dropped on the sink or floor in the waste can. I still do that today—just a little thing I can do to care for the environment and be mindful of those who come after me. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Today I awakened to a treasure I wasn’t expecting when I walked Lilly, our dog, and my eyes fixed on the bold yellow forsythia blossoms and the bright green grass, recently freed from the snow and ice built up these past two months. Do I recognize tangible and intangible treasures in my life? Am I sufficiently grateful for the gifts that come to me—mostly small things like a smile, a hug, or green grass in the middle of February? “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Am I aware the treasure that I have in a spiritual community that calls me to be the best person I can be and that supports me in my life journey? What can I do to be more aware and proactive in my care for this treasured church home? What about countless small spontaneous caring acts I can do—wash a dish left in the sink or food left in the vestry, without being asked, put away the tables and chairs after coffee hour, weed a small corner of the church yard in the spring, rake leaves or take a turn providing child care though I have no children of that age.
This next month, each of us will have a chance to consider that saying from Jesus—“for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” as the Unitarian Church of Staten Island begins its annual spring canvass and stewardship drive. What does this church mean to you? How can you give back to this community without “giving it all away”? How can you show where your treasure is even when our lives are encumbered by the chaos of the economy? It’s all a matter of commitment and love—“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”