14 - SOBRIETY (Part 2)

Here then 4 good reasons to live in sobriety:
1) Because you have discovered the true treasure, before which all others lose their value...
Only if you discover another treasure, THE TREASURE OF ALL TREASURES, that takes hold of your heart and makes all the rest (money and other material possessions) pale and lose their power to lure you. Look what happened to that farmer. Take Matthew 13, 44-46 and see what happened to the farmer who was ploughing and stumbled upon a treasure before which everything else lost its value. He was prepared to give up everything in order to acquire that treasure. The same thing happened to those who met Jesus. They discovered in him the true treasure. They were prepared to leave everything else in order to gain Jesus.

2) Because they want to follow Jesus and so they free themselves of everything that impedes them...
How often does Jesus invite one to decidedly choose between him and riches? If one wants to follow him he must leave all riches behind. Take Luke 14, 28-33 and you will discover how the one who wants to become a disciple of Jesus is called upon to give away all he possesses.

3) Because when you abandon yourself to the Father who provides you with everything you don’t have to worry about anything any more...
God the Father gives the birds of heaven their food even though they don’t sow or reap and he clothes the lilies of the field even though they don’t labour nor spin. Take Matthew 6, 25-34 and see how the Father provides for those who abandon themselves completely to him. With such a Father what do you have to worry about?

4) Because you give to those who are in need...
Giving, sharing and taking on the burden of the poverty of others...
So...

Who is a sobre youngster?

1) HE IS HAPPY WITH WHAT HE HAS AND DOES NOT PRETEND THAT HE HAS MORE.

2) HE IS FREE FROM ALL ATTACHMENT TO MONEY AND OTHER MATERIAL THINGS AND DOES NOT NEED TO STORE THINGS UP FOR HIMSELF...

3) HE HAS DISCOVERED THE TRUE TREASURE, JESUS CHRIST, AND HE IS PREPARED TO EVEN LOSE EVERYTHING IN ORDER TO BE CONQUERED BY THIS TREASURE.

4) HE WANTS TO STAND WITH JESUS AND BE FREE FROM ALL THAT ENCUMBERS HIM (CONTRARY TO WHAT THE RICH YOUNG MAN DOES).

5) HE WHO COUNTS ON PROVIDENCE IS NEVER TROUBLED BY SO MANY THINGS.

6) HE OFFERS, AND GIVES AND SHARE.
 

A word that’s out of fashion:

Sharing doesn’t mean bringing in from outside, but rather taking out

what is within.

Sharing is an act that is contrary to the habit of the octopus who

takes everything for itself in its tentacles.

This was what really happened to the First Christian Community. Go

and read the Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47 they placed on the common table whatever they possessed. What was theirs was given to all... Everyone knew well that what was his belonged to his brother too. The goods of each became the goods of all.

Then you need to be convinced that:
a) This is a strange way to multiply:



The mathematics of God has some strange logic. Do you know how to multiply? Divide. This is the logic of charity. If you learn to divide there will be enough for all...

b) There is a particular deposit that increases your savings:
Jesus repeats that YOU NEED TO STORE UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN. Do you know that each one of us has A SAVINGS ACCOUNT IN THE BANK OF HEAVEN, THAT IS A CELESTIAL BANK? And do you know how to increase your savings? YOU NEED TO SHARE WITH THOSE IN NEED ON EARTH.

Take Luke 12: 33-34 and you discover how to increase your savings...

c) it is necessary to open your eyes and realize that:

Your Savings in heaven are the alms you give here

THOSE WHO HAVE MORE OUGHT TO GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE LESS

7) HE HAS ONLY WHAT'S ESSENTIAL, DON'T MULTIPLY YOUR NEEDS OR YOUR DESIRES.
Most of the things that we want and we purchase don’t serve us, but we buy them because these desires are sown by the promptings of others. The sober youngster only uses what is essential...

8) HE KNOWS HOW TO ADAPT HIMSELF AND HE DOES NOT PRETEND, HE IS AUSTERE BUT NOT MISERABLE...
We are accustomed to have too much and we risk becoming little princes who enjoy every convenience. Instead, how important it is to adapt ourselves to the different situations even those that are most miserable and where there are no conveniences?

To be continued...