God Knows Your Heart November 11

I am eager for the profit that accrues to your account. Philippians 4:17

You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. Luke 16:15


Piety

God, are you laughing at us yet? Are you laughing at us still? We continue to store up money and possessions for the future when you tell us time and time again that it is not necessary. You never forget the birds of the field. Strengthen our trust in you.


Study

These days with the stock market near all-time highs and gas prices retreating to around $2 per gallon, some of our economic concerns from earlier in the year are lessened.

So we might be able to make some progress in saving for retirement, college expenses for our children and more.

But the real question for Christians is “How do we accrue credits in our spiritual accounts?” Jesus doesn’t care about our 401-K. He cares about our souls.

One way is through the path of action. The others are through piety and study.

St. Paul is using familiar images of wealth and accounts in his letter to the people of Philippi. However, he is not really concerned with their material wealth but rather with their spiritual wealth. They “accrue” credit by helping Paul in his mission to preach throughout Greece.

Paul stressed that he tried to be self-sufficient, relying only on what he could do and what God provided. To be dependent upon wealth is opposed to the teachings of Jesus who counseled complete dependence on the Father as one of the characteristics of the Christian disciple.

God probably thinks that it is pretty ironic that our money has the slogan “In God We Trust.” He probably thinks money is the least important place to put that. He would rather we put it in our hearts and live our lives accordingly.

Action


These days there are many ways to support a missionary and “accrue credits” to your spiritual balance sheet. The Maryknoll Lay Missioners (http://laymissioners.maryknoll.org/) are one of the many Catholic missionary organizations who have carried on St. Paul’s work. Maryknoll Lay Missioners is a Catholic organization inspired by the mission of Jesus to live and work with poor communities in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, responding to basic needs and helping to create a more just and compassionate world.

Another group is the Missionhurst (http://www.missionhurst.org/). The US Province of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (C.I.C.M. for Congregatio Immaculati Condis Mariae in Latin), is an international group of 1,000 religious men who are dedicated totally and exclusively to the foreign mission of the Catholic Church. Fr. Mike Hann and Fr. Bill Quigley are in our community now but have spent their lives working in the poorest places on earth – poor in spirit as well as in wealth.

Learn a little more about their work on the website and in the magazine. Consider sending a financial gift to support their work or the work of your favorite missionary group like the Philippians supported St. Paul.