Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 369
Lectionary: 369
When Athaliah, the
mother of Ahaziah,
saw that her son was dead,
she began to kill off the whole royal family.
But Jehosheba, daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah,
took Joash, his son, and spirited him away, along with his nurse,
from the bedroom where the princes were about to be slain.
She concealed him from Athaliah, and so he did not die.
For six years he remained hidden in the temple of the LORD,
while Athaliah ruled the land.
But in the seventh year,
Jehoiada summoned the captains of the Carians
and of the guards.
He had them come to him in the temple of the LORD,
exacted from them a sworn commitment,
and then showed them the king’s son.
The captains did just as Jehoiada the priest commanded.
Each one with his men, both those going on duty for the sabbath
and those going off duty that week,
came to Jehoiada the priest.
He gave the captains King David’s spears and shields,
which were in the temple of the LORD.
And the guards, with drawn weapons,
lined up from the southern to the northern limit of the enclosure,
surrounding the altar and the temple on the king’s behalf.
Then Jehoiada led out the king’s son
and put the crown and the insignia upon him.
They proclaimed him king and anointed him,
clapping their hands and shouting, “Long live the king!”
Athaliah heard the noise made by the people,
and appeared before them in the temple of the LORD.
When she saw the king standing by the pillar, as was the custom,
and the captains and trumpeters near him,
with all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets,
she tore her garments and cried out, “Treason, treason!”
Then Jehoiada the priest instructed the captains
in command of the force:
“Bring her outside through the ranks.
If anyone follows her,” he added, “let him die by the sword.”
He had given orders that she
should not be slain in the temple of the LORD.
She was led out forcibly to the horse gate of the royal palace,
where she was put to death.
Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD as one party
and the king and the people as the other,
by which they would be the LORD’s people;
and another covenant, between the king and the people.
Thereupon all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal
and demolished it.
They shattered its altars and images completely,
and slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars.
Jehoiada appointed a detachment for the temple of the LORD.
All the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet,
now that Athaliah had been slain with the sword
at the royal palace.
saw that her son was dead,
she began to kill off the whole royal family.
But Jehosheba, daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah,
took Joash, his son, and spirited him away, along with his nurse,
from the bedroom where the princes were about to be slain.
She concealed him from Athaliah, and so he did not die.
For six years he remained hidden in the temple of the LORD,
while Athaliah ruled the land.
But in the seventh year,
Jehoiada summoned the captains of the Carians
and of the guards.
He had them come to him in the temple of the LORD,
exacted from them a sworn commitment,
and then showed them the king’s son.
The captains did just as Jehoiada the priest commanded.
Each one with his men, both those going on duty for the sabbath
and those going off duty that week,
came to Jehoiada the priest.
He gave the captains King David’s spears and shields,
which were in the temple of the LORD.
And the guards, with drawn weapons,
lined up from the southern to the northern limit of the enclosure,
surrounding the altar and the temple on the king’s behalf.
Then Jehoiada led out the king’s son
and put the crown and the insignia upon him.
They proclaimed him king and anointed him,
clapping their hands and shouting, “Long live the king!”
Athaliah heard the noise made by the people,
and appeared before them in the temple of the LORD.
When she saw the king standing by the pillar, as was the custom,
and the captains and trumpeters near him,
with all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets,
she tore her garments and cried out, “Treason, treason!”
Then Jehoiada the priest instructed the captains
in command of the force:
“Bring her outside through the ranks.
If anyone follows her,” he added, “let him die by the sword.”
He had given orders that she
should not be slain in the temple of the LORD.
She was led out forcibly to the horse gate of the royal palace,
where she was put to death.
Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD as one party
and the king and the people as the other,
by which they would be the LORD’s people;
and another covenant, between the king and the people.
Thereupon all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal
and demolished it.
They shattered its altars and images completely,
and slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars.
Jehoiada appointed a detachment for the temple of the LORD.
All the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet,
now that Athaliah had been slain with the sword
at the royal palace.
Responsorial Psalm PS 132:11, 12, 13-14, 17-18
R. (13) The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.
The LORD swore to David
a firm promise from which he will not withdraw:
“Your own offspring
I will set upon your throne.”
R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.
“If your sons keep my covenant
and the decrees which I shall teach them,
Their sons, too, forever
shall sit upon your throne.”
R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.
For the LORD has chosen Zion;
he prefers her for his dwelling.
“Zion is my resting place forever;
in her will I dwell, for I prefer her.”
R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.
“In her will I make a horn to sprout forth for David;
I will place a lamp for my anointed.
His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but upon him my crown shall shine.”
R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.
The LORD swore to David
a firm promise from which he will not withdraw:
“Your own offspring
I will set upon your throne.”
R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.
“If your sons keep my covenant
and the decrees which I shall teach them,
Their sons, too, forever
shall sit upon your throne.”
R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.
For the LORD has chosen Zion;
he prefers her for his dwelling.
“Zion is my resting place forever;
in her will I dwell, for I prefer her.”
R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.
“In her will I make a horn to sprout forth for David;
I will place a lamp for my anointed.
His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but upon him my crown shall shine.”
R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.
Gospel MT 6:19-23
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.
But store up treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“The lamp of the body is the eye.
If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light;
but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness.
And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.
But store up treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“The lamp of the body is the eye.
If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light;
but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness.
And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”
Meditation: "Lay up treasure in heaven"
What do you treasure and seek after the most?
What do you value above all else? Jesus offers a treasure of imcomparable value
and worth, but we need healthy eyes - good spiritual vision - to recognize what
is the greastest treasure we can possess. What Jesus said about seeking
treasure made perfect sense to his audience: keep what lasts! Aren't
we all trying to find something we treasure in this life in the hope that it
will bring us happiness, peace, and security?
Jesus contrasts two very different kinds of
wealth - material wealth and spiritual wealth. Jesus urges his disciples to get
rich by investing in wealth and treasure which truly lasts - not just for a
life-time - but for all eternity as well. Jesus offers heavenly treasures which
cannot lose their value by changing circumstances, such as diminishing
currency, damage or destruction, loss or theft. The treasure which Jesus offers
is kept safe and uncorrupted by God himself.
What is this treasure which Jesus offers so
freely and graciously? It is the treasure of God himself - the source and giver
of every good gift and blessing in this life - and a kingdom that will endure
forever. The treasure of God's kingdom produces unspeakable joy because it
unites us with the source of all joy and blessings which is God himself. God
offers us the treasure of unending joy and friendship with himself and with all
who are united with him in his heavenly kingdom. In Jesus Christ we receive an
inheritance which the Apostle Peter describes as imperishable,
undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:4).
Paul the Apostle describes it as a kingdom of everlasting peace, joy, and righteousness
in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).
How realistic and attainable is this heavenly
treasure? Can we enjoy it now, or must we wait for it in the after-life? The
treasure of God's kingdom is both a present and a future reality - like an
investment which grows and matures, ever increasing and multiplying in value,
and producing an endless supply of rich rewards and benefits.
Seekers of great treasure will go to any length
to receive their reward. They direct all their energies and resources to obtain
the treasure. We instinctively direct our energies and resources - an even our
whole lives - towards that which we most value. To set one's heart on heavenly
treasure is to enter into a deeper and richer life with God himself. It is only
by letting go of false treasure that one can eter into the joy of a heavenly
treasure that is immeasurable and worth more than we can give in exchange. Do
you seek the treasure which lasts for eternity?
Jesus also used the image of eyesight or human
vision to convey an important principle of God's kingdom. Blurred vision and
bad eyesight serve as a metaphor for moral stupidity and spiritual blindness.
(For examples, see Matthew 15:14, 23:16 ff.; John 9:39-41; Romans 2 2:19; 2
Peter 1:9; and Revelations 3:17.) The eye is the window of the
heart, mind, and "inner being" of a person. How one views their life
and reality reflects not only their personal vision - how they see themselves
and the world around them, it also reflects their inner being and soul - the
kind of moral person and character they choose for themselves. If the window
through which we view life, truth, and reality is clouded, soiled, or marred in
any way, then the light of God's truth will be deflected, diminished, and
distorted.
Only Jesus Christ can free us from the spiritual
darkness of sin, unbelief, and ignorance. That is why Jesus called himself the
light of the world - the one true source of light that can overcome the
darkness of sin and the lies and deception of Satan.
What can blind or distort our "vision"
of what is true, good, lovely, pure, and eternal (Philippians 4:8)? Certainly
prejudice, jealousy, and self-conceit can distort true and clear judgment of
ourselves and others and lead to moral blindness. Prejudice and self-conceit
also destroys good judgment and blinds us to the facts and to their
significance for us. Jealousy and envy make us despise others and mistrust them
as enemies rather than friends. We need to fearlessly examine ourselves to see
if we are living according to right judgment and sound principles or if we
might be misguided by blind prejudice or some other conceit. Love is
not jealous ...but rejoices with the truth (1 Corinthians 13:4-6). Do
you live your life in the light of God's truth?
"Lord Jesus, you have the words of
everlasting life. May the light of your truth free me from the error of sin and
deception. Take my heart and fill it with your love that I may desire you alone
as my Treasure and my All."
 What is My Deepest Desire? 2014-06-20 |
Matthew 6: 19-23
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in
and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "The eye is the lamp of
the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light;
but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If
then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in you. I believe that you love me, that
you are close by my side, and that you will be walking with me throughout
this day. I trust in you, Lord. I trust you more than I trust myself, because
you are infinitely good and all powerful. I love you, Jesus. I love you
because you died on the cross for me, to save me.
Petition: Lord, help me to discover where you are most calling me to
store up treasures in heaven.
1. Temporal or Eternal Treasures: Who does not long
to discover a hidden treasure? The human heart was made for the happiness and
security treasure promises, for the joy it brings. But one fundamental
problem presents itself: to what kind of treasure should we entrust our
heart, our inmost being, our very self? Christ alerts us to the false
treasures which tug at our heart each day — earthly treasures of fine
clothes, or possessions, or wealth. Each of these treasures can and will be
taken from us. At the moment we most need help, the time of our passing to
eternity, material belongings will betray us. As the realistic Spanish proverb
puts it: “There are no pockets in a shroud.”
2. The Deep Longings of the Heart: Christ offers us the one
treasure worthy of the human heart, the one treasure that will not betray us,
the only one that can accompany us through the grave and across the threshold
to eternal life. What is that treasure? It is the person of Christ himself
and all of the good actions we do for his sake. Living for Christ alone,
loving him above all else, giving up our lives, our very selves for him,
constitutes the only treasure rich enough to satisfy the human heart — the
only one capable of fulfilling our deepest aspirations. Only this treasure
will remain for all eternity, immersing us in a joy that is ever beginning,
ever new. “For where your treasure is, there also your heart will be.”
3. “The Lamp of the Body”: Christ’s teaching about
the eye as the lamp of the body might at first glance seem obscure, unrelated
to his previous exhortation to store up treasures in heaven. But a second
look reveals an inner link. Exegetes have viewed the eye as the intentions
which lie behind our actions. Christ exhorts us to childlike simplicity in
all that we do and even in the way we view events and others. If we see
Christ in others, if we are able to perceive the Father’s providential hand
behind everything that happens to us in life, if all we do is done out of
love for Christ, then truly our whole body will be flooded with light.
Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Lord, for the clear message
of your Gospel. Thank you for showing me how to live my life with eternity
ever in view. Thank you for being the one treasure that alone can satisfy the
longings of my heart.
Resolution: I will do everything this day out of love for Christ and
to help establish his Kingdom, renewing my conscious efforts to store up
treasures in heaven.
FRIDAY,
JUNE 20, MATTHEW 6:19-23
(2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20; Psalm 132)  KEY VERSE: "For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be" (v 21). READING: When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he instructed them to trust God for their daily needs (Mt.6:11). In his sayings on divine providence, Jesus reminded his followers to find their security in God, not in possessions. Material goods were subject to rot and decay, whereas God was their lasting treasure. Jesus equated the human eye to a window into one's heart. If a person focused on the world and its wealth, it would be the object of their heart's desire. That person was spiritually blind because his or her vision was clouded by greed and selfishness. The one who has healthy sight is the person whose inner being is illuminated by the truth that Jesus came to reveal. REFLECTING: Is prayer one of my spiritual treasures? PRAYING: Lord Jesus, fill my heart with the light of your word.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Say Yes to God's Will
Praise and thank God that He sees more in us than we see in
ourselves. All God needs to make a masterpiece in you is your consent.
The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling
Athaliah coveted power and wealth, to rule without contest.Like countless others through history, Athaliah destroyed her competition out of fear and jealousy. Even her own grandchildren were but obstacles to be removed from her path to power. Like the classic evil stepmother, with flashing dark eyes and sinister smirk, she was eventually ousted and justice was restored. Everyday evil, while less dramatic, can be more pervasive, insidious and closer to home. With self-reflection, do I look forth with clear and honest eyes, or is my vision clouded with distractions, darkened by jealousy, fear or lack of forgiveness? If I aspire to be a person of the light then I am challenged to forgo power for its own sake and possessions that have a hold over me, to invite the deep and sustaining joy, the true treasure that comes from relationship with God.
June
20
St. Paulinus of Nola (354?-431) 
Anyone who is praised in the letters of six or seven saints
undoubtedly must be of extraordinary character. Such a person was Paulinus of
Nola, correspondent and friend of Augustine, Jerome, Melania, Martin, Gregory
the Great, and Ambrose.
Born
near Bordeaux, he was the son of the Roman prefect of Gaul, who had extensive
property in both Gaul and Italy. Paulinus became a distinguished lawyer,
holding several public offices in the Roman Empire. With his Spanish wife,
Therasia, he retired at an early age to a life of cultured leisure.
The two
were baptized by the saintly bishop of Bordeaux and moved to Therasia’s
estate in Spain. After many childless years, they had a son who died a week
after birth. This occasioned their beginning a life of great austerity and
charity, giving away most of their Spanish property. Possibly as a result of
this great example, Paulinus was rather unexpectedly ordained a priest at
Christmas by the bishop of Barcelona.
He and
his wife then moved to Nola, near Naples. He had a great love for St. Felix
of Nola, and spent much effort in promoting devotion to this saint. Paulinus
gave away most of his remaining property (to the consternation of his relatives)
and continued his work for the poor. Supporting a host of debtors, the
homeless and other needy people, he lived a monastic life in another
part of his home. By popular demand he was made bishop of Nola and guided
that diocese for 21 years.
His
last years were saddened by the invasion of the Huns. Among his few writings
is the earliest extant Christian wedding song.
Comment:
Many of us are tempted to "retire" early in life, after an initial burst of energy. Devotion to Christ and his work is waiting to be done all around us. Paulinus's life had scarcely begun when he thought it was over, as he took his ease on that estate in Spain. "Man proposes, but God disposes."
LECTIO
DIVINA: MATTHEW 6,19-23
Lectio:
Friday, June 20, 2014
Ordinary Time
1) OPENING PRAYER
Almighty God,
our hope and our strength, without you we falter. Help us to follow Christ and to live according to your will. Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) GOSPEL READING - MATTHEW 6,19-23
Jesus said to his disciples: 'Do not store
up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and woodworm destroy them
and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in
heaven, where neither moth nor woodworm destroys them and thieves cannot
break in and steal. For wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be
too.
'The lamp of the body is the eye. It follows
that if your eye is clear, your whole body will be filled with light. But if
your eye is diseased, your whole body will be darkness. If then, the light
inside you is darkened, what darkness that will be!'
3) REFLECTION
• In today’s Gospel we continue our
reflection on the Sermon on the Mountain. Two days ago and yesterday we have
reflected on the practice of the three works of piety: alms giving (Mt 6,
1-4), prayer (Mt 6, 5-15) and fasting (Mt 6, 16-18). Today’s and tomorrow’s
Gospel presents four recommendations on the relationship with material goods,
explaining clearly how to live the poverty of the first Beatitude: (a) not to
accumulate (Mt 6, 19-21); (b) to have a correct idea of material goods (Mt
6,22-23); (c) not serve two masters (Mt 6,24); (d) to abandon oneself to
Divine Providence (Mt 6,25-34). Today’s Gospel presents the first two
recommendations: not to accumulate goods 19-21) and not to look at the world
with diseased eyes (6, 22-23).
• Matthew 6, 19-21: Do not
accumulate treasures on earth. If, for example today on TV it is
announced that next month sugar and coffee will be lacking in the market, we
all will buy the maximum possible of coffee and sugar. We accumulate because
we lack trust. During the forty years in the desert, the people were tested
to see if they were capable to observe God’s Law (Ex 16, 4). The test
consisted in this: to see if they were capable to gather only the necessary
manna for a single day, and not accumulate for the following day. Jesus says: “Do
not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and woodworm
destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for
yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworm destroys them and
thieves cannot break in and steal. What does it mean to store up
treasures in heaven? It is a question of knowing where I place the basis of
my existence. If I place it on material goods of this earth, I always run the
danger of losing what I have stored up. If I place the basis one God, nobody
will be able to destroy it and I will have interior freedom to share with
others what I possess. In order that this may be possible and feasible it is
important to reach a community life together which will favour sharing and
reciprocal help, and in which the greatest richness or the treasure is not
material riches, but rather the richness or the treasure of fraternal living
together born from the certainty brought by Jesus: God is Father and Mother
of all. Because there where your treasure is, there is your heart.
• Matthew 6, 22-23: The light of
your body is the eye. To understand what Jesus asks it is necessary
to have new eyes. Jesus is demanding and asks very much; do not store up (6,
19-21), do not serve God and money together (6, 24), do not worry about what
you are to eat or drink (6, 25-34). These demanding recommendations have
something to do with that part of human life where persons are more anguished
and worried. It also forms part of the Sermon on the Mountain, that it is more
difficult to understand and to practice. And this is why Jesus says: “If
your eye is diseased ....". Some translate this as diseased eye and
healthy eye. Others translate as mean or poor eye and generous eye.
It is the same, in reality, the worse sickness that one can imagine is a
person closed up in herself and in her goods and who trusts only these. It is
the sickness of being stingy! Anyone who looks at life with this eye lives in
sadness and in darkness. The medicine to cure this sickness is conversion,
the change of mentality and of ideology. To place the basis of life on God
and in this way our look becomes generous and the whole life becomes
luminous, because it makes sharing and fraternity emerge.
•Jesus wants a radical change. He wants the
observance of the Law of the sabbatical year, where it is said that in the
community of believers there cannot be poor (Dt 15,4). Human living together
should be organized in such a way that a person should not have to worry
about food and drink, about dress and house, about health and education (Mt
6, 25-34). But this is possible if we all seek the Kingdom of God and his
justice first (Mt 6, 33). The Kingdom of God means to permit God to reign: it
is to imitate God (Mt 5, 48). The imitation of God leads to a just sharing of
goods and of creative love, which brings about a true fraternity. Divine
Providence should be mediated by the fraternal organization. It is only in
this way that it will be possible to eliminate any worry or concern for
tomorrow (Mt 6, 34).
4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Jesus says: “There where your treasure is,
your heart is also”. Where is my richness found: in money or in fraternity?
• Which is the light which I have in my eyes
to look at life, at events?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
For Yahweh has chosen Zion,
he has desired it as a home. 'Here shall I rest for evermore, here shall I make my home as I have wished. (Ps 132,13-14) |
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