Friday, June 20, 2003
11th Week in Ordinary Time

1st Reading: 2 Cor 11:18, 21-30
Gospel: Mt 6:19-23

Jesus said to his disciples, "Do not store up treasure for yourself here on earth where moth and rust destroy it, and where thieves can steal it. Store up treasure for yourself with God, where no moth or rust can destroy nor thief come and steal it.

"For where your treasure is, there also your heart will be."

"The lamp of the body is the eye; if your eyes are sound, your whole body will be in the light. If your eyes are diseased your whole body will be in darkness. Then, if your light has become darkness, how dark will be the darkest part of you!"

Commentary

The way to heaven is not to nullify the value of the things that are on earth. The Creator himself declared everything he had made to be good. What Jesus teaches us is to value things for what they are really worth. Each thing is as valuable as the human need it satisfies is important. But not all our needs are equally important. Our greatest need is to be loved unconditionally and only God can offer us that. Possessions, relationships, and all we work for should dispose us for that love. We must renounce anything that gets in the way of that love. To value God above all, serving him with all we have and are, depriving ourselves of all that do not befit his service, is to store up treasures in heaven.

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