Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

To what kind of treasure should we entrust our heart? Christ alerts us today to the many treasures that tug at our hearts each day: fame, possessions, wealth, recognition, or the many things the world around us tells us are worth seeking. Each of these treasures is useless for salvation. They can and will be taken from us. And none of them shape the Christian character that Jesus wants his followers to have.

Instead of deep longings of the heart for material goods, Jesus offers us the one treasure worthy of the human heart, the one treasure that no one can take away from us. That treasure, of course, is the person of Christ himself, the same Jesus we receive in communion and whose life we reflect on in every Mass. Saint Aloysius, whose memorial we celebrate today, is a shining example of one who chose the right treasure. His station in life could easily have afforded him a life of wealth and privilege. He gave all these up to join the Jesuits. There, he gave up his life at an early age after contracting the plague from those he ministered to. His eye was sound, and his whole body was filled with that inner light that enabled him to see Christ in the poor and sick to whom he ministered.

What effort do we make to do everything for the love of Christ? Do we consciously try to store treasure in heaven for ourselves each day?

Let Us Pray:

Thank you, Jesus, for the clear message of your gospel. Thank you for showing me how to live my life with eternity ever in view. Thank you for being the one treasure that alone can satisfy the longings of my heart.