A Jesuit Catholic University
in Omaha, Nebraska, since 1878

[229] Deut 26:16-19 Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8 Matt 5:43-48

Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer The Daily Reflections

“Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.”  -Ps 119:2

“‘Why do we have to listen to our hearts?’ the boy asked. ‘Because, wherever your heart is, that is where you will find your treasure.’” –Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist 

Where is your heart?  What do you value most in life?  What is your treasure?  Is this where your heart is?

I’m not sure what it means to seek God with all of your heart.  But I can guess at what it might look like, and how our lives might be different, if we sought truth, justice, and love with all our hearts.  I think if we seek love (what I believe to be another word for God) with all of our hearts, we might find our treasure in other people.  If we take treasure to mean what we hold most valuable in life, then finding our hearts in others might be precisely what we are called to do as Christians.  So if we seek love, we might find more value in other people.  We experience love by loving others and being loved by others.  Thus, we may find that our treasure is actually held by other people, that they themselves are what we value intrinsically, what we hold most dear, what we love unconditionally.

This is my last semester at Creighton.  It’s a time of anticipated transition and big decisions.  For me, though I am certainly excited to graduate, I have struggled with the thought of leaving my community here.  I know that I don’t always seek love; I’m imperfect.  But I have tried to make it a priority in my life.  I think that I have found my treasure in my community, in other people.  I am so blessed to have a group of wonderful, supportive people.  No matter where I end up next year, I am encouraged by the thought that if I continue to seek love, I will continue to find my treasure in others.