Poverty and Readiness

[A reflection on the Gospel for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, August 10, 2025, which may be found with the other readings for Mass at this link: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/lectionary/proper-14c/]

This past week I was at the annual Chapter of the Anglican Order of Preachers, and I had opportunity to speak at length with one of my brothers whom I do not see often due to geographic distances concerning our vows. One of our vows is simplicity, based on the Evangelical Counsel of poverty (our Roman brethren specify poverty in their vows). In short, this vow compels us to store up our treasures in Heaven as our reading today boldly states, not here on Earth where insect and oxidation and market conditions and outright chicanery can remove them in an instant. My brother lamented how poorly we kept that vow, living in decent shelter, driving decent vehicles, and even taking a holiday every now and then (I don't know if you've looked lately, but taking a vacation has gotten rather pricey).

What is the big deal, one may ask? Why can one not have treasures on Earth AND in Heaven? Well, one can certainly due to circumstance have a great deal of disposable income depending on what one does. My brother had been a trial lawyer, I happen to be a telecommunications engineer, and neither are poorly compensating professions. However, the question is not so much what one obtains for one's work but how one obtains it and just as importantly what one does with it.

I find it interesting that Our Lord in this passage talks about a) putting up treasures in Heaven, b) giving alms, and c) getting ready for Our Master's arrival all in the same paragraph. It seems these are intertwined. It seems here that being ready for His arrival hinges on us having made our investment in the Kingdom of Heaven. It also seems that this investment is hinged on remembering the poor and needy. It also seems that remembering the poor and needy hinges upon giving of one's self and one's substance significantly. In short, we increase our love for God, which is our treasure in Heaven, by increasing our love for our neighbour, by giving of ourselves for our neighbour's safety, security, and well-being. Love is ultimately sacrificial, not of something outside one's self but from within, expressed in multiple ways of time, effort, material, and emotional, even empathetic and compassionate investment in others.

When He comes again, will He find us cold and unresponsive, shut off from Him and others by hardened hearts unwilling to give of themselves for love of friend, neighbour, and enemy? Or will He find us ready to throw open the doors of our hearts, already transformed by His boundless love which we have freely shared with all around us? Is that what simplicity and poverty is all about? Perhaps so. Perhaps we are called to simplify our lives by making our service to others our primary goal, learning and growing in love for them and for the God that empowers us to show that love. Perhaps it is in living more simply that we can spend the time and effort and resources to grow in that direction, by loving our neighbour as ourselves.