The readings from Philippians 3:7-12 and Luke 12:32-34, traditionally associated with the Saturday after the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost, call us to a profound reflection on the nature of true treasure and the cost of discipleship. St. Paul’s words in his letter to the Philippians and Our Lord’s teaching in the Gospel of St. Luke converge to challenge our attachment to earthly things and to invite us to seek an everlasting inheritance in Christ.
“I count all things as loss…” (Phil 3:8)
St. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, writes with striking humility and fervor: “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil 3:7-8). Here, the Apostle contrasts the fleeting nature of worldly gains with the immeasurable value of knowing Christ. St. John Chrysostom comments on this passage by noting that St. Paul is not merely dismissing material wealth, but all human achievements, even those held in high regard by society: “Neither birth, nor training, nor fame, nor anything else, since these had once appeared desirable to him, are now regarded otherwise than as dung.” Chrysostom highlights that once Paul encountered Christ, all former pursuits faded into insignificance, for the knowledge and love of Christ outweighed them all.
This revaluation of values, where earthly honors and accomplishments are regarded as “rubbish” (Phil 3:8), is a stark reminder of the radical call to discipleship. St. Augustine reflects on Paul’s transformation as a manifestation of grace that redirects one’s desires from the temporal to the eternal. He writes, “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes; He is the end to whom all is referred. In Him is that rest and that everlasting happiness which we hope for in the world to come.” Thus, to “gain Christ” is not only to receive Him as Lord but to be transformed into His likeness by renouncing anything that would hinder our union with Him.
“Sell what you have…provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old…” (Luke 12:33)
In the Gospel passage, Jesus continues this theme by teaching His disciples to “sell what you have, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail” (Luke 12:33). This counsel is not a mere call to asceticism but an invitation to a deeper trust in God’s providence and to recognize where our true wealth lies. St. Gregory the Great comments that by “selling what we have,” we are not just to divest ourselves of material goods, but also to detach our hearts from the love of them. The giving of alms represents a conversion of the heart, where the love of neighbor springs from our love for God. It reflects an investment not in perishable goods but in the eternal riches stored up in Heaven.
St. Basil the Great sees almsgiving not merely as an external act of charity but as an interior purification: “The bread which you withhold belongs to the hungry; the clothing you keep in your wardrobe belongs to the naked; and the gold you have hidden in the ground belongs to the poor.” His words exhort us to recognize that our possessions, when hoarded, are spiritually burdensome; but when shared, they become instruments of divine love and channels of grace.
The Quest for the “Prize of the Upward Call” (Phil 3:14)
Both St. Paul’s striving to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14) and Our Lord’s exhortation to seek heavenly treasure converge in a call to wholehearted pursuit of God. The Christian life is depicted not as a passive state but as an active journey, requiring the renunciation of lesser goods in order to lay hold of the supreme Good. St. Jerome, interpreting Paul’s striving, sees in it the need for constant vigilance and self-denial, saying, “So long as we are in this body, as long as we walk by faith and not by sight, there is need of continual striving, lest by chance we fall behind.”
In this quest, the saints exemplify what it means to “count all as loss.” St. Francis of Assisi embraced poverty not as an end in itself, but as a means to attain perfect freedom in Christ. By renouncing material wealth, he was liberated from attachments that could divert his heart from God. His life of poverty, service, and prayer became a testament to living the Gospel literally and wholeheartedly.
Storing Up Treasures in Heaven: A Reflection for Our Times
The call to prioritize heavenly over earthly treasures is especially pertinent in an age marked by consumerism and materialism. As St. John Henry Newman once observed, “Nothing is more common than to think that wealth and greatness are blessings, yet Christ pronounces them a burden.” Our treasures—whether they be wealth, reputation, or achievements—can become obstacles if they are not oriented towards God. The saints remind us that authentic freedom and joy are found not in accumulation but in self-giving love.
Let us, therefore, heed the advice of St. Paul and Our Lord, laying aside anything that would impede our spiritual progress. We are invited to examine our attachments, simplify our lives, and invest in the treasures that endure. In doing so, we walk the path of the saints, setting our hearts on Christ, the true Treasure, and striving towards the eternal prize. Thus, our lives become a living sacrifice, a testimony that, indeed, we have “counted all things as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.”