The things that we value the most must determine our priorities

Listening to the Spirit

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.

(St. Ignatius of Loyola)

Listening to the Word

Luke 12:32-40

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

Reflection

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Once, in the minor seminary during a retreat, I was asked to write down the ten most important things in my life by the preacher. His intention was to reflect on this famous phrase of Jesus: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Honestly, I don’t remember what I wrote or what were the most important things in my life during that time. What I remember is that it took me a long time to write the list. Thinking about “where are my treasures” was a good exercise to realize what were the things that I valued the most.

If I were to write again the list, some of my top ten important things are more abstract than real. Some of the things that I value the most remain as ideals which I don’t see them concretely in my daily life by giving them the proper time. Sometimes it is only theory because many times I do not realize (unconsciously) that I’m putting my heart in things that are not really important.

The things that I value the most must determine my priorities and no the other way around. By thinking first on what my priorities are and how I spend my time, I realize what are my real treasures. It is important to have a clear idea of what are my real treasures and what I would like to have as treasures so that I can set up my priorities in order to give more importance to what really matter.