Invest in heaven; Church Fathers: Day 219

Last updated on: February 27, 2018 at 6:51 am by Pete Socks

Invest in heaven; Church Fathers: Day 219 2018-02-27T06:51:44-05:00 Pete Socks

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Are you asking me to give my money away for nothing? No, answers St. John Chrysostom: I’m asking you to invest it at the highest possible rate of interest.

“But what do you want me to do?” someone says. “Do you want me to give someone else all this money I’ve saved, which is useful to me, and demand no return?”

Far from it! I don’t say that at all. In fact, I earnestly desire that you should have a return—and not a paltry or tiny one, but far greater. In return for gold, I want you to receive heaven for your interest.

So why shut yourself up in poverty, crawling along on earth, and demanding little for great? This is the part of one who doesn’t know how to be rich. For when God, in return for a little money, is promising you the good things that are in heaven, and you say, “Don’t give me heaven, but instead of heaven give me gold that perishes”—obviously you want to keep living in poverty!

Surely whoever wants wealth and abundance will choose things that last rather than things that perish, the inexhaustible rather than what wastes away, much rather than little, incorruptible rather than corruptible. Then the other sort will follow as well. Whoever seeks earth before heaven will certainly lose earth as well, but whoever prefers heaven to earth will enjoy both to the highest degree.

So that this may be the case with us, let us despise everything here, and choose the good things to come. Thus we’ll get both the one and the other, by the grace and love for humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. –St. John Chrysostom, Homily 5 on Matthew, 9

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Where is my money invested?

Could I afford to put a little more away in eternal investments?

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, help me grow to be like you, and accept and make holy the unworthy gifts I bring.

Remember to subscribe to my feed so you will not miss a day! This recurring feature at The Catholic Blogger is possible through the cooperation of author Mike Aquilina and publisher Saint Benedict Press. To get your own copy of this book, click below.

A Year with the Church Fathers

Church Fathers

Mike Aquilina

Saint Benedict Press

Saint John Chrysostom

Previous Post

February 26, 2018

Off the Shelf 061 with Tommy Tighe - The Catholic Hipster

Next Post

February 28, 2018 Expect better returns from the poor; Church Fathers: Day 220

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Year with Mary A Year with the Angels A Year with the Church Fathers Book News Children's Review Featured CD Giveaway Guest Post Interview Linked Review Media review Movie Review New Releases Off the Shelf Review speakers Teen Review The Clergy Speaks The Laity Speaks The Open Book Podcast Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz