November 3

Cutting away the anchors, they left them in the sea as they loosened the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. — Acts 27:40 BSB

Anything that keeps us from reaching heaven should be cut out of our lives, no matter the cost.

A striking example of this is the flight of Cortez on the night when the Aztecs forced his soldiers to flee for their lives. The soldiers had gathered large amounts of gold, more than they could carry while fighting their way out. Cortez warned them not to overload themselves, saying, “He travels safest at night who travels lightest.” Some soldiers heeded the warning, but others, driven by greed, tied heavy chains of gold around their bodies or filled their pockets with gold ingots until they could barely move.

As the battle unfolded, it became clear that those weighed down by gold were easy targets for the Aztecs. The only ones who survived were those who abandoned their wealth. That night, poverty became their greatest asset.

We should examine our own lives to see if anything is holding us back from fully following Christ. No matter how valuable something may seem, if it hinders our faith or devotion, we should cast it aside for the sake of our spiritual journey.