August 11, Ordinary 19C (Luke 12:32-40)

Luke’s Jesus declares his purpose by quoting from the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Isa. 61:1; Luke 4:18). Throughout Luke’s account, Jesus’ concern for the poor and suffering of the world is clear.

So in chapter 12, when we hear all of Jesus’ encouragements to set aside the material blessings of the world, it is difficult to understand them as literal instructions to not be concerned with things like money, food, or shelter. Particularly in the passage for this week, it seems more appropriate to resist any either/or distinction between the material benefits of the world and the blessings of God’s spiritual realm. Perhaps this series on treasure, masters, and house-owners is instead about being bound to the right frame of reference or ultimate source of value. When Jesus says, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” he is speaking of the Greek kardia, which William Mounce defines as “the seat of feeling, impulse, affection, desire” and “the inner and mental frame.” He does not say that where your treasure is, there you will be also.

Jesus’ hearers live in the real world. He does not seem to expect them to live somewhere else. But they are to feel and desire and to frame their whole existence as if they belong somewhere else.