Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Following Jesus has never been easy. During the month of October, we celebrate the feast days of two of the most beloved saints in the life of the Church: Thérèse of Lisieux and Francis of Assisi. These two people definitely took the road less traveled, and at times found it very difficult.  But in the midst of their respective trials and sufferings, their common treasure, their prize possession was their faith in Christ, and so they were able to pass through the needle’s eye to greatness in the kingdom of God.

So what is our treasure? There are many things vying for first place in our hearts these days. But as the gospel puts it, our heart is where our treasure is… and it is hard to choose Jesus as our greatest treasure. The Eucharist gives us the occasion to ask Jesus the question the man posed in today’s gospel: “Teacher, what must I do to share in everlasting life?” Jesus calls us to walk the extra mile, to give the shirt off our back, to turn the other check, especially to those in need and those whom we may find hard to love.  And so, as we celebrate and consume the Eucharist, may Christ be our treasure in the week ahead and always!