Most people are busy building up their treasure on earth that may consist of cash, luxury cars, beautiful homes and various toys. However Jesus urges us to build our treasure in heaven.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.   But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

At the beginning of my spiritual journey, following my conversion I shifted my focus from building up my financial wealth to focusing on ways to please Jesus and build my treasure in heaven. I remember thinking I likely have no reward awaiting for me in heaven because I have been selfish and focused on myself, so I began searching for ways to give glory to God.  I volunteered for different charities and began studying the Word of God.  I started praying and I returned to Church.

Last week I read a book that spoke about how the choices we make today affect our eternal future and I began reflecting on an amazing thing that happened to me in the course of ten years.

The Scriptures clearly reveal that “The LORD rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness…” 1 Samuel 26:23

St. Peter once said to Jesus “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” (Many people may be wondering ‘what’s in it for us if we follow Jesus?”…good thing Peter asked!)

Jesus said to the disciples, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” Matthew 19:27-29

Jesus, Our Holy Lord, is so generous and ready to reward us and in our fragile, selfish nature we may need to be encouraged by the promise of God’s generous eternal rewards for those that serve Him–“you will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”

But here’s the amazing thing I discovered. As I began on my spiritual journey I was very motivated by the idea of eternal treasure in heaven. I wanted to make choices that would please God, and I liked the notion of an ‘eternal treasure in heaven’. Then Jesus asked me to begin contemplating His Passion and I stopped thinking about ‘treasure in heaven’ as I began thinking about the Bridegroom of all souls, Jesus Christ, crucified for our sins. “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

A question for you to think about:

When the Bride of Christ stands at the foot of the Cross of Jesus with her gaze fixed on her suffering Saviour, her Bridegroom, what does she think about?

A Bride that is truly worthy of her Bridegroom does not commit to Him for what He can give her.  A woman that marries a man because he can give her many things probably does not truly love him; she probably loves his money.

I realize now that when I was newly converted I wanted to do the right things but not for selfless reasons. I wanted to please God so that I too could have ‘treasure in heaven’!  It took ten years for me to realize that Jesus is the treasure in heaven! It took me too long to realize that my heart belongs to Him!

Remember the Scripture: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

When you fall in love everything changes. Suddenly you are willing to make sacrifices easily and naturally. You are not keeping count of the things you do to please the one you love! Nor are you counting on being rewarded because just having the privilege to love is enough reward.

David put it this way: “You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” Psalm 16:11

In ways I cannot fully express I feel like I have had a foretaste of heaven, many intimate experiences with Jesus that enable me to know how much He loves me, how much I love Him and how ever present He is in my heart and life.

On a daily basis I reflect on the Passion of Christ.

This is the meditation that pierces my heart with love for Jesus daily.

The Last Supper is completed. Jesus has given His apostles the Sacrament of the Eucharist. He has washed their feet and instructed them to serve and now Jesus and His chosen apostles enter the Mount of Olives singing a hymn. This will be the last time Jesus sings with His friends. Jesus descends into the dark Garden of Gethsemane. He has asked His apostles not to sleep but they have fallen asleep and alone Jesus sees all that He is to suffer. In anguish, I hear His loud cries to the Eternal Father.

Jesus is truly God and He is truly Man and His humanity cries out for solace while His divinity accepts His most painful mission. I see an angel come from heaven to comfort Jesus telling Him how much we will all love Him and Jesus drenched in perspiration and blood accepts His Father’s will. 

The soldiers seize Jesus and He is so brutally tortured. The scourging alone could be enough to kill a man, but Jesus is so strong. Jesus is crowned with thorns and our sins are the thorns causing Jesus so much pain!  We are all responsible for every drop of blood that He sheds and yet how many days and years go by without souls saying “I love You” to the Holy One who gave everything to spare His people, His Bride, from the price of Divine Justice.

I see the Holy Mother of God, stoic and yet sharing spiritually in every pain Her Son endures. Oh what shame and continuous insults!  Jesus is pushed to the ground, mocked and forced to carry His own Cross up the Hill to Calvary. I see Him fall. I see His eyes so full of tears and pain yet full of resolve and hope…Jesus is saving the world! Jesus is crushing the devil’s head as it was prophesied in Genesis 3:15.

I hear Jesus cry out as He is crucified, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34 and I see Him hanging on the Cross in agony, struggling to breathe.

Our Mother Mary stands in front of Him, supported by the strength of Archangels, one on either side of her. Her gaze never leaves Him…People in the background are still taunting Him, hurling insults….But we love Him!…And with a sword in our heart, we never take our eyes off Him! He gives us His Mother, honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary in His last moments of life. “Behold your Mother.” John 19:26

The Virgin Mary’s communion with the Holy Spirit and with her Son Jesus is eternal and so too is ours if we choose, like Mary, to consent to God’s plan. How do we bid farewell to the Holy One who is dying on the Cross? We don’t!…He promised He would not leave us orphans. He promised He would be with us in the Eucharist and that He would send His Spirit upon us so that He could live in us. He promised He was going to prepare a place for us and that He would be with us always until the end of time.

This daily walk to Calvary has changed my life.  I do this every day at 3pm, the time Our Lord Jesus died for us and it has resulted in a relationship of intimacy that I cannot describe in words.  The Passion of Our LORD Jesus Christ changed my life and it will change the world…one soul at a time…and as each soul enters truly and deeply into the suffering of Our God, we are transformed; we are renewed; we are sanctified.  Temptation loses it’s grip.  His wounds are upon our hearts.  We become His Bride!

Please join Christians all over the world who are stopping to pray daily at the time Jesus died for us, 3pm (in our local time zones) to remember the Passion of Christ and pray for the mercy of Jesus upon all souls. If you believe in Jesus Christ then know that Jesus is counting on you to help Him to save souls. Pray with confidence with all your Christian brothers and sisters as you remember the Passion of Christ and you will discover that Jesus is your treasure in heaven. Let our hearts be with Him as we give Him our lives.