Lent Day 4: Mutual investments with God are not subject to market risks

We get to hear a lot of talk on saving money and how to save money. Our parents would have advised us in this regard at some point of time and maybe continue to do so. They do it out of concern and love and we end up joining savings schemes, insurance policies and even collect money in piggy banks, containers and books. It is the money we hope will help us tide over a difficult time, or an unexpected expense.

We are also scared whether such money will indeed be safe. Advertisements of mutual funds have a disclaimer at the end, “Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.” What earlier was read in a rush is now read slower and clearer. It is a warning to be careful.

There have been moments in my life when I parted with such money which was specially kept for future needs. Moments when someone passed away, someone was hospitalized, someone was going to study and someone was getting married. I sometimes wonder how nice it would be if I still had that money with me. Because of the earlier parting with savings, I ended up sacrificing my needs and the needs of my family.

St. Matthew 6: 19-20 says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Jesus is asking us to invest in him and in heaven because we then don’t have to be worried about it rusting or being stolen. The way to invest our treasures in heaven is to help someone here on earth by breaking our savings. Every time we have helped someone, we have made an investment in heaven, an investment which is not subject to any risk, market or otherwise.

Lent is a time to help the poor, needy and hungry. Diet restrictions are not enough and form only twenty five percent of our effort to undergo a meaningful lent. The other three parts are prayer, reconciliation and good behavior and helping those in need with food and money. We need some solid investments in heaven through our help to others here. Even though we will feel sad of letting go of hard-earned savings, we can be assured that the investments we make will be safe in God’s hands, ready to be encashed at another time and in another form. Amen.

(Picture credit: rhetoricaljesus.com)