Abraham on the Way

During the holidays, many people leave their familiar surroundings. They resemble Abraham of the second reading: they sojourn as strangers in a foreign land, some even staying in tents.

Abraham, on his way to the promised land, is a picture of the believer who doesn't leave things as they are, but who leaves this world of injustice and violence behind, on his way to the kingdom of God. We have heard Paul say: It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. (Hebrews 11:8). At this sentence, we might get off. Faith is such a vague, unreasonable thing, you might think. You see nothing and you hear nothing.

Accumulating treasures for oneself, or selling one's possessions Yet, a visible path has been shown to us, namely in today’s gospel. Last Sunday, we heard Jesus speak of a rich man who accumulated treasures for himself and stored them in large barns. He said to himself: you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time (Luke 12:19). Today we hear of a faithless servant who beats the menservants and maidservants and overindulges in food and drink. The fault of both is that they do not accumulate treasure in heaven, are not rich toward God, and are unwilling to share. Today we are talking about the opposite: selling your possessions and giving the money to the poor, accumulating treasure for yourself in heaven.

Heaven is not a space outside this world and outside of time, a specific place where you hope to arrive one day and where you bring your treasure as a preliminary reservation. Heaven is not a place outside of earth and outside of time, but the space of God. This space has everything to do with this world here and now. Treasure in heaven has to do with righteousness here on earth. It means sharing with others. It's the opposite of the dictates of consumer society: eat, drink, be merry, and nothing more.

Steward How it should be is illustrated by the behavior of the trustworthy and wise steward who provides his master's servants with the food they need in due time (Luke 12:42). To acquire treasure in heaven, to be rich toward God, means sharing, giving each one his due, knowing that you are not an owner, but an administrator and steward. Treasure in heaven means justice for everyone in God's new world.

Servant Jesus himself sets the example. He speaks of good servants who wait for their master and who open the door immediately when he knocks. These good and vigilant servants have a good master, for he will gird his belt, invite them to the table, and serve them. This is a picture of Jesus, who said: who is the greater: the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? Yet here am I among you as one who serves! (Luke 22:27). In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus says in so many words: the Son of man himself came not to be served but to serve (10:45).

When we see faith as serving, as sharing, as giving to each his own, acting not as an owner but as an administrator and steward, then we have a treasure in heaven, then we are rich with God, then we are, like Abraham, on our way to the kingdom of God. Then we make this kingdom a reality. This kingdom is not something that will be only realized later, in heaven, but it becomes reality already here on earth.