Invest in a Future with God

Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

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Gospel of Matthew 25:14-30

For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

When we see the words "investment for the future" we think of our 401 K or IRA retirement portfolios. Moreover, we think about investing in our children's college education funds.  Both investment strategies involve earning and saving money.  Unfortunately, money does not grow on trees, and it doesn't grow out of sand.  Some people are blessed with inherited money, but for the most of us we must work for a steady income.  Investment for the future is a daunting task considering the rising cost of everything from commodities to taxes.

Why don't we consider investing in a future with God?  It's much easier than we think!

 We can sometimes make bad investment decisions with our money.  We squander it on Ponzi schemes or shady business practices.  We waste our money donating it to unethical or immoral causes (i.e. the abortion biz, pay day lending, etc.). We invest more time in our jobs than our families; or more time in unhealthy addictions versus healthy practices..  

When we invest in a future with God, he will gives us the investment "tools" needed to live life abundantly.  We become rich spiritually.  This is much more important than becoming rich materially.  Why? It's counter cultural.  It goes against society's obsession with wealth and prosperity. The one who grows rich in material wealth will see it vanish at the end of time.  Poof!  Gone!

We place our daily prayers in God's piggy bank.  We watch the fruit of our prayers just like the stock market.  When a prayer is answered, yeah! The heavenly stock market makes huge gains.  On other days when we feel like our prayers go unanswered there's a sudden dip in the providential average.  We become disillusioned, think investing in God is a huge mistake.  Not so!!  We don't become spiritually rich overnight, but over the course of a life time.

The next time we deposit money into our retirement or college accounts, thank God for such fortune. Not everyone makes a whole lot of money to invest in sizable portfolios and company ventures.  However, we are all capable of investing in a future with God.  It takes determination and a willingness to say to ourselves, "Yes!  I need God in my life!  He is my past, present and future.  He will help me invest in ways that benefit the Kingdom."

Don't push God away but consider him a part of your spiritual investment portfolio!

Saint Margaret of Scotland, Pray for Us!

-J.