20190621
WHAT
IS THE TREASURE OF YOUR LIFE?
21 JUNE, 2019,
Friday, 11th Week, Ordinary Time
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First reading
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2 Corinthians
11:18,21-30 ©
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If I am to boast, let me boast of my own
feebleness
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So many others have been boasting of their
worldly achievements, that I will boast myself. But if anyone wants some brazen
speaking – I am still talking as a fool – then I can be as brazen as
any of them, and about the same things. Hebrews, are they? So am I. Israelites?
So am I. Descendants of Abraham? So am I. The servants of Christ? I must be mad
to say this, but so am I, and more than they: more, because I have worked
harder, I have been sent to prison more often, and whipped many times more,
often almost to death. Five times I had the thirty-nine lashes from the Jews;
three times I have been beaten with sticks; once I was stoned; three times I
have been shipwrecked and once adrift in the open sea for a night and a day.
Constantly travelling, I have been in danger from rivers and in danger from
brigands, in danger from my own people and in danger from pagans; in danger in
the towns, in danger in the open country, danger at sea and danger from
so-called brothers. I have worked and laboured, often without sleep; I have
been hungry and thirsty and often starving; I have been in the cold without
clothes. And, to leave out much more, there is my daily preoccupation: my
anxiety for all the churches. When any man has had scruples, I have had
scruples with him; when any man is made to fall, I am tortured.
If I am to boast, then let me
boast of my own feebleness.
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Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 33(34):2-7 ©
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The Lord rescues the
just in all their distress.
I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be
glad.
The Lord rescues the
just in all their distress.
Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us praise his
name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me
free.
The Lord rescues the
just in all their distress.
Look towards him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called, the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his
distress.
The Lord rescues the
just in all their distress.
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Gospel Acclamation
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Jn8:12
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Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the light of the world, says the
Lord;
anyone who follows me will have the light
of life.
Alleluia!
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Or:
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Mt5:3
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Alleluia, alleluia!
How happy are the poor in spirit:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
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Matthew 6:19-23 ©
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Store up treasure for yourselves in
heaven
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Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not store
up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and woodworms destroy them
and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in
heaven, where neither moth nor woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break
in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
‘The
lamp of the body is the eye. It follows that if your eye is sound, your whole
body will be filled with light. But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will
be all darkness. If then, the light inside you is darkness, what darkness that
will be!’
WHAT IS THE
TREASURE OF YOUR LIFE?
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [2 COR 11:18. 21-30;
MT 6:19-23 ]
“For where your treasure
is, there will your heart be also.”
The heart is what holds our attention. In truth, what we mean is the
intellect because the heart is not a faculty. But the reality is when the
intellect offers to the will something good to strive at, we call it the
heart. So where is the heart? It is what we see as good and
therefore desire to have. It is true that we all have many kinds of
desires, but which one holds our entire being more than the rest? When
something holds our attention fully, we will be able to give our whole heart,
soul and strength to it.
Jesus in the gospel not
only spoke about the heart, He also mentioned about the eye. “The lamp of the body is the
eye.” It is significant that Jesus spoke of an eye and not both
eyes. The emphasis on the single eye has the significance of the analogy
of the heart. It refers to one having a primary focus. When we want
to see something clearly or focus on something, we cover the other eye and see
with one eye. This helps us to focus on the object. So when
Jesus spoke of the eye as the lamp of the body, Jesus is referring to what
gives the body direction and focus. What we see is what the body desires
or rejects.
What then is the most
important thing in your life? What is it that drives you? For many of us, we are driven by
money, wealth, power, fame and popularity. Yet, the truth is as the Lord
warns us, “Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and
woodworms destroy them and thieves can break in and steal.” The truth is
that such things cannot last. Money will be used up and even if they are
not expended, they will be taken by someone else after death. We cannot
carry a single cent with us. If we are interested in power, that
also do not last. When we are old, others will take over our
position. Fame also does not last because when we are no longer useful to
the world, they will abandon and forget us.
So the truth is that
wealth, power and fame cannot bring us security. In fact, the more we have, the more
insecure we become. Those of us who are wealthy are worried about how to
ensure that our money grows and are used properly. We are afraid that
others might take our wealth away. If not stolen or cheated, we can lose
them in the stock market. Those of us who are powerful live under the
threat of their competitors. They need security guards to be with them
all day and all night. They have no freedom and peace of mind.
Those of us who are popular are always seeking to please people and to maintain
their public profile, so much so that they have no time to be with themselves,
to take a break or enjoy their private life because they are always worried
about how others view them.
Above all, the ultimate
truth is that we do not live on this earth forever because one day, we will
have to leave this world.
Then where will we be? Of course, if you are a humanist or an atheist,
you believe you will disappear into thin air. But do we really believe
that when we die, we will just diminish from the face of this earth? If
so, why should we remember and give respect to the dead? Why do we have
memories of our deceased loved ones? Deep in our hearts, we all know that
somewhere, we will meet again and that life does not cease with death.
That is why the Lord said, “Store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where
neither moth nor woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break in and
steal.” To the rich fool, who felt secure by his riches thinking,
“you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be
merry”, the Lord warned him, “‘You fool! This very night your life is
being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they
be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but
are not rich toward God.” (Lk 12:20f)
This is the heart of
today’s scripture readings. The warning is that many of us are
short-sighted. We
choose the things of the world that cannot last. We are ignorant and are
cheated by the world. The devil always presents to us things that look
attractive but in truth these are vanities. Indeed, the Lord
said, “It follows that if your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled
with light. But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be all
darkness. If then, the light inside you is darkness, what darkness that
will be!” Indeed, the world is short-sighted. They only think of
today, enjoying life, protecting themselves and growing their wealth and power.
What, then, is the truth
about life? Jesus gives us two great commandments. One of the scribes asked him,
“‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear,
O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your
God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and
with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
(MK 12:28-31) In the final analysis, only the love of God and our
neighbour will give us ultimate life on this earth and hereafter. This is
what it means to store our treasures in heaven. Love of God and love of
the poor especially, is what will give us true happiness, joy and meaning in
life. This is how we make ourselves rich in the sight of God. These
treasures of love, compassion and kindness will follow us even unto death, when
we enter into the bosom of our heavenly Father.
Once we realize this, we
will not abuse the gifts that God has blessed us with. He gives us these gifts not only
for ourselves to enjoy selfishly but to share with others, to build others
up. In the process of helping others, we grow in Christ-likeness and in
Christian character. What we have, whether talents, wealth, power
or influence, are given to us so that we can develop our potentials by helping
others to develop their potentials. Wealth is a means to provide for our
loved ones and to help the less fortunate. Talents are given not to make us
feel great about ourselves but to use them well so that we can develop our potentials
today. Power is for humble service, not for self-glory or to
control the lives of others. Health is not for vanity but so that
we can continue to be of service to humanity.
So happiness in life is
a matter of having the right focus, being driven by the right intentions and
motivated by our love for God and our fellowmen. St Paul was totally
focused on his mission. Because he was focused on the Lord and saving his
people from the futile way of life, he suffered gladly for the gospel. He said, “The servants of Christ? I must
be mad to say this, but so am I, and more than they: more, because I have
worked harder, I have been sent to prison more often, and whipped so many times
more, often almost to death. Five times I had thirty-nine lashes from the
Jews; three times I have been beaten with sticks; once I was stoned; three
times I have been shipwrecked and once adrift in the open sea for a night and a
day.”
Once we are clear of
what is ultimately good for us, we will be willing to take risks like St Paul. “Constantly travelling, I have been
in danger from rivers and in danger from brigands, in danger from my own people
and in danger from pagans; in danger in the towns, in danger in the open
country, danger at sea and danger from so-called brothers.” When we
love, we will take risks for our loved ones. When we are convinced that
something is worth giving our life, our time and efforts, we will take the
risk.
Clarity of our mission
in life will give us the strength to endure all sufferings and the capacity to
make the necessary sacrifices. St Paul put the mission before his open comfort.
“I have worked and laboured, often without sleep; I have been hungry and
thirsty and often starving; I have been in the cold without clothes.”
When we love, we willingly sacrifice our open comforts and possessions for our
loved ones.
He was also thinking
about the churches and his brothers and sisters. “And, to leave out much more, there
is my daily preoccupation: my anxiety for all the churches.” His heart
was with Christ and His people. This is because he was identified with
every man. When we love we are one with the joys and sufferings of those
whom we love. “When any man has had scruples, I have had scruples with
him; when any man is made to fall, I am tortured. If I am to boast, then
let me boast of my own feebleness.” Let us then be inspired by St Paul’s
life and mission. Following him, we too must be servants of Christ and
the gospel so that we can store our real treasures in heaven.
Written
by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All
Rights Reserved
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