‘Sell your possessions and give alms. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
The words of Jesus present a stark challenge to the consumerism that drives modern society. We cannot dismiss these words as a counsel of perfection intended only for those called to vows of poverty within religious communities. Jesus recognised the fundamental insecurity that characterises sinful humanity.
We treasure anything that promises security in a fearful world. Our attitudes are frequently dominated by the desire to satisfy empty lives with the trappings of success. We crave possessions, influence and recognition as a distraction from a restlessness that can never be satisfied.
