Feast Day 3 of 7 | Third Sunday of Lent
“At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.” Deuteronomy 15:1
In the Old Testament Law, the command to cancel debts every seven years linked to helping the people reset their lives and not oppress each other. This is justice in practice. God supplies for all. Sometimes people get help from others in crisis. Sometimes people help others.
In the world, it goes the opposite. People hoard for themselves and aim to get rich. They idolize comfort and self-preservation. Sadly, most Christians live this way. God calls it injustice as all they have belongs to Him and came to them to accomplish His agenda, not theirs.
One of my favorite monks, Bernard of Clairvaux, writes. “O wretched slaves of Mammon, you cannot glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ while you trust in treasures laid up on earth: you cannot taste and see how gracious the Lord is, while you are hungering for gold.”
Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) in On Loving God, excerpt from Chapter 4, “Of those who find comfort in the recollection of God or are fittest for His love.”
What are you hungering for today?
What are you hungering for? It’s a feast day so that means I am hungering for a bison burger.
Seriously, you cannot say the cross of Christ if you have treasures stored up on earth. Why? You cannot fathom the generosity of God if you act as though riches will sustain you. Why, you have not experienced His matchless care firsthand. Jesus can see your finances right now. What would He say to you? Hear and obey.
Jesus, help me let go of earthly riches so I can hold onto You. Amen.
It’s a feast day! Celebrate the cross by making a gift from your assets.
Want to stretch yourself? Set a lifetime goal to storing up a certain amount of treasure in heaven. Keep track. See what happens.