Homily: Friday of the 11th Week of OT - Heavenly Treasure & St. Romuald

Today’s Gospel asks us “What do I treasure?” Do I treasure the things of this world more than I treasure the things of God?

In the first reading, it is very evident where St. Paul’s treasure lies. 

St. Paul enumerates his sufferings for the spread of the Gospel: dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from fellow Jews, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city,dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, frequent fastings, cold and exposure, daily pressures, all for the sake of the Gospel.

St. Paul suffered not to build an impressive resume.  When he’s listing off all that he suffered, he’s not complaining.  Rather, he suffered because he sensed the urgency of bringing Christ to many.  He treasured the Gospel above all else, and desire to share that treasure with others, that they may share eternity with God in heaven.

 ‘What do I treasure?’ What am I willing to suffer for? What do I go out of my way in seeking to obtain?  These daily readings from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount are pretty challenging; they cause us to self-examine in light of Jesus’ teaching. 

Most of us, if we are honest, probably have to admit that we go out of our way, to be comfortable, to not be bothered, that we enjoy the earthly comforts and earthly pleasures a little too much.  The saints, however, put the Gospel, above earthly comfort.  They teach us to renounce selfishness, laziness, and fear, take up the cross, to treasure the heavenly reward above passing earthly delights. 

We honor a Saint today, St. Romuald, who embodies this teaching.  Romuald, like our own St. Clare, was born into an aristocratic family, in a world of luxury and wordliness, where he learned little in the way of self-restraint and religious devotion.  When Romuald was 20 years old, he saw his father kill one of his relatives in a dispute over money and property.  Disgusted by his father’s crime, Romuald went to a monastery to pray for his father and to do penance.  And there, he heard the call to the monastic life of poverty and prayer.

Inspired by his son’s example, Romuald’s father, repented and joined the monastery.  Romuald traveled throughout Italy preaching the Gospel, establish or reform almost 100 hermitages and monasteries, and founding the Camaldolese Order, which continues to draw men and women to a life of simplicity, today, 1000 years later. 

We are all called like Romuald, like Paul, to seek first the kingdom of God,  to seek first not earthly comfort, but heavenly treasure for the glory of God and salvation of souls.