Treasures

TREASURES ARE something precious and dear to someone who possesses them. They are normally kept closely so that others may not steal them away from the owner. Sometimes, treasures can possess the owner in a way, that the owner has to give almost all his attention to them, either by guarding them so tightly day and night, or by spending all his energies in making the treasures grow and/or in acquiring even more. The treasures we speak of here are either the material ones (money, and all that money can buy) or the very human life itself or that which is even more, the spiritual life of the human person. The latter kind of treasure is, to my mind, the most valuable and of eternal worth. This is what every human being possesses and that each one needs to deal with.

Human life and what we do with it and the works done by it is a treasure in itself, which could generate all other treasures one wishes to possess. We need to recognize and be always aware of this treasure and truth and reality about it—God is the owner of the treasure of life, energies we spend for all our human activity and work. Someone who does not keep in mind God’s role in his life, and lives as if he owns the God-given life, would do what he wants with it, even if sometimes he goes against the will of God; he could live his life as if God and everything that represents Him does not exist or has no value at all in his life. And if everyone lives as if he were god, then imagine the conflicts and war between gods. Destruction of life, the world and the peace and happiness of man and humanity prevails when God is put out of the picture and everyone keeps for himself his life and works.

Yet God became living and visible in Jesus, born in Bethlehem, and adored by among others, the magi from the East who came and “opened” their treasures and offered them to the God-made-man. We too, can offer our life and the works we do to Jesus, the true and only treasure we all need to possess.

Gospel: Matthew 1-12 Then they (magi) opened their treasures and offered

him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.