Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
(Jeremiah 17:5-10; Luke 16:9-31)
The heart is thought of as the seat of the emotions. The human person loves, hates, desires, and
rejects with the heart. Often the heart
loves and seeks things that will not bring the person lasting happiness. The rich man’s heart in the gospel parable is
set on fine clothes and sumptuous foods.
Allowing these pursuits to dominate his life, he ends in misery.
A Franciscan preacher tells how as a young man he loved to
dress well. He bought fine clothes and
never wore them sullied and wrinkled.
Then he came to know the Lord intimately. Now he says that he doesn’t worry about clothes
at all. He is content wearing his
Franciscan habit with a pair of shorts underneath. He has set his heart on a growing
relationship with the One who matters most of all.
It is not wrong to want fine clothes and delicious foods. But we must not prioritize these things to
love of God and neighbor. If we do, we
have lost what can most bring us happiness.
We must care about things in the proper order of importance.
