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.”
Reflection:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth – But store up treasures in heaven.”
I ask myself, is my “treasure” the type that will decay or that a thief would desire to steal?
Sixteen years ago, we moved out of a house that we had lived in for about ten years. I spent three weeks prior to the move just trying to clean out closets, the basement and the attic.
I ended up throwing out so many items that had cost over $100 that I hadn’t even looked at in years.
Most of the items I threw out were things subject to moths or decay. I doubt there was anything a thief would have bothered to steal.
I pledged, “Never again. From now on, except for Christmas and seasonal items, anything I haven’t used in six months, I’m going to donate to charity.”
And, while living in that house, what had I stored up that would have been a treasure in heaven?
Well, My Brother’s Keeper was founded in the basement of that same house, among the clutter of the things that would soon be discarded.
This is my challenge in life, to sort the things of God from the things of man.
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light.”
My human frailties including jealousy, prejudice, and ego are things that draw me away from the “light” of God.
When I stay focused on being open to listening to others, giving without looking for anything in return, and spreading the love and hope of God, then I will be filled with that which I sow, and “my whole body will be filled with light.”
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Corinthians 10:31
A message to all who read Jim’s Weekday Gospel Reflections:
Thank you for your faithful readership of my gospel reflections. I will be taking time off from Monday, June 22nd through Wednesday, July 1st and will not be posting reflections during that period.
My next reflection will be posted on Thursday, July 2nd. Jim Orcutt