20260619 GOD IS OUR TREASURE
19 June 2026, Friday, 11th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
2 Kings 11:1-4,9-18,20 |
Saved from the massacre, the true king is anointed by the high priest
When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah learned that her son was dead, she promptly did away with all those of royal stock. But Jehosheba, daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, secretly took away Jehoash, her brother’s son, from among the sons of the king who were being murdered, and put him with his nurse in the sleeping quarters; in this way she hid him from Athaliah, and he was not put to death. He stayed with her for six years, hidden in the Temple of the Lord, while Athaliah governed the country.
In the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds of the Carians and of the guards, and had them brought to him in the Temple of the Lord. He made a pact with them and, putting them under oath, showed them the king’s son.
The commanders of hundreds did everything as Jehoiada the priest had ordered. They brought their men, those coming off duty on the sabbath together with those mounting guard on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. The priest equipped the commanders of hundreds with King David’s spears and shields which were in the Temple of the Lord. The guards formed up, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the south corner to the north corner of the Temple, surrounding the altar and the Temple. Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown and armlets on him, and he anointed him king. They clapped their hands and shouted, ‘Long live the king!’
Athaliah, on hearing the shouts of the people made for the Temple of the Lord where the people were. When she saw the king standing there beside the pillar, as the custom was, with the captains and trumpeters at the king’s side, and all the country people rejoicing and sounding trumpets, Athaliah tore her garments and shouted, ‘Treason, treason!’ Then Jehoiada the priest gave the order to the army officers: ‘Take her outside the precincts and put to death anyone who follows her.’ ‘For,’ the priest had reasoned, ‘she must not be put to death in the Temple of the Lord.’ They seized her, and when she had reached the palace through the Entry of the Horses, she was put to death there.
Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and king and people, by which the latter undertook to be the people of the Lord; and also between king and people. All the country people then went to the temple of Baal and demolished it; they smashed his altars and his images and killed Mattan, priest of Baal, in front of the altars.
The priest posted sentries to guard the Temple of the Lord. All the country people were delighted, and the city made no move. And they put Athaliah to death in the royal palace.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 131(132):11-14,17-18 |
The Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling.
The Lord swore an oath to David;
he will not go back on this word:
‘A son, the fruit of your body,
will I set upon your throne.
The Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling.
If they keep my covenant in truth
and my laws that I have taught them,
their sons also shall rule
on your throne from age to age.’
The Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling.
For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling:
‘This is my resting-place for ever;
here have I chosen to live.
The Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling.
There David’s stock will flower;
I will prepare a lamp for my anointed.
I will cover his enemies with shame
but on him my crown shall shine.’
The Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn8:12 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
anyone who follows me will have the light of life.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Matthew 6:19-23 |
Store up treasure for yourselves in heaven
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!’
GOD IS OUR TREASURE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [2 Kgs 11:1-4, 9-18, 20; Ps 132:11-14, 17-18; Mt 6:19-23]
In the Gospel, the Lord confronts us by asking what our treasure is. For most people, their treasure is, of course, money, because it gives them security. It is generally believed – even though it is not true – that money can solve all life’s problems. We believe that with money, we can always protect ourselves and that we will not suffer if we can afford all our needs and luxuries. Hence, most people are greedy for money.
But the truth about money is that no matter how rich one is, it is never enough; the rich will always want to get richer. This desire to accumulate more money affects the rich just as much as the poor. Yet, the sad fact is that many do not know how to make use of their money. As a consequence, sometimes too much money can lead good people into living a sinful lifestyle or make them proud and arrogant, demanding to be served and to be always given the best. Having money can also be a burden because it comes with the responsibility of managing it well, and bequeathing it to the right people before we die – people who will use it wisely, not just for themselves, but also for the good of others.
For others, their treasure is in power, fame and achievements. This kind of treasure goes beyond material gain to encompass personal fulfilment. They see a need to prove themselves successful and powerful so that people will recognise them, and give them glory and respect. Many of us are caught up in constantly climbing the social ladder, seeking to make ourselves known and famous. These people crave publicity and recognition from society and their friends. For them, there is always another project to complete, another book to write, another goal to achieve, and another trophy to win. They spend their entire lives chasing after academic degrees, awards, fame, and glory. Consequently, such people find no rest and there is no peace. They are always comparing themselves with others. Just like those who are greedy for money, they, too, fall into the sins of envy and jealousy. These struggles spring from deep insecurity and lack of self-love, as they fail to recognise their true identity as beloved sons and daughters of God.
Accordingly, 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 or woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break in and steal.” What are these treasures in heaven that we are called to store? The real treasures are spiritual treasures. They are concerned with meaning, purpose, truth, and love. They are manifested in a life of virtues, of kindness, generosity, compassion, gentleness, patience, and contentment. Those who seek treasures in heaven live a life of true wisdom. They see what they have on earth – whether material or intellectual resources – as tools to be used for their own growth and the good of others. It is through using these resources for the service and good of others that they find great joy and happiness in life.
Notably, unlike Luke, Matthew does not condemn riches. In themselves, they are neither good nor bad, but it is how we use them. Wealth is just one of the means to find happiness, meaning, and fulfilment, but they are not the ends in themselves. For example, when we use money to express our appreciation for friendships through gifts, to help the poor so that they have their basic needs, or to help disadvantaged children so that they can grow and be independent, we are already participating in the joy and love of God. Whenever there is love and joy, there is God. So, wealth, material possession, and personal blessings given to us by God are meant to be used in ways that can truly bring us freedom, love and joy. We should not disdain riches or the good things of this earth; however, rather than hoarding them, we must share them with those in need. When we hoard our riches, not only do we deprive others of the help they need, but we also deprive ourselves of the joy of using them well.
Indeed, in today’s First Reading, we read of the tragic end of Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah. She was greedy for power and for wealth. Greed and pride led her to kill and destroy others who were her potential competitors. She grabbed power from her son by killing all her grandchildren except for one who was secretly rescued by the sister of her son who died. Her cruelty was unimaginable. We cannot imagine how someone who sought power could be so cruel as to kill even her own loved ones. But as it is said, those who live by the sword will die by the sword. God will work out His justice in His own time. Evil will not have the last word.
True enough, Jehoash was rescued by his aunt and hidden from Athaliah for six years in the Temple of the Lord. Ultimately, he was restored to his kingship through a revolt organised by the priest, Jehoiada, who gathered the commanders and the guards to protect the king’s son while he was being brought to the Temple and declared as King. What ensued was the dethronement of Athaliah and she was put to death. The reason this revolt unfolded so smoothly is that God was on the side of Jehoiada, who sought to bring the king and the people back to the Covenant – which had been forgotten over the years due to the bad kings before them. He took the opportunity to renew the Covenant with the people and the king with God. “Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and king and people, by which the latter undertook to be the people of the Lord; and also between the king and people.” As a result, the Temple of Baal was demolished and “they smashed his altars and his images and killed Mattan, priest of Baal, in front of the altars.”
Hence, in the Responsorial Psalm, the psalmist renews the love of God for the people of Israel and their commitment to Him. “The Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling. The Lord swore an oath to David; he will not go back on this word, ‘A son, the fruit of your body, will I set upon your throne. If they keep my covenant in truth and my laws that I have taught them, their sons also shall rule on your throne from age to age.’ For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling: ‘This is my resting-place for ever; here have I chosen to live. There David’s stock will flower; I will prepare a lamp for my anointed. I will cover his enemies with shame but on him my crown shall shine.'”
We, too, must also choose God and His kingdom if we are to invite God to live in us. Jesus urges us not to worry about what we will eat or drink or wear but “strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Mt 6:33) Truly, the real treasure that we should seek is the Kingdom of God, and its justice. We must focus on having God make His home in us where we can find peace and joy. So long as God is our primary focus, then everything else will be in place. We must put God as the centre of our life, using the Gospel as the blueprint by which we live. By following Jesus, we can view this world, along with its wealth, power, glory, in the right perspective: not as ends in themselves, but as means to help us live out our vocation of love and service.
So once again, we must ask ourselves, is God really our treasure? If so, then He would be the centre of our life, the one whom we speak to, think of, and read about in the Scriptures, every day and night. In all that we do or say, we want to put on the mind and heart of Christ, always asking ourselves if our actions would correspond with how Jesus would say and do. As the Lord said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart also.” We need to be enlightened by Christ and His word in the Scriptures if we want to light up our body. The Lord warns us, “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!” So let us pray for openness and humility to come before the Lord and seek His truth and love, His guidance and His inspiration. Let us put Jesus at the centre of all that we do, His word as the lamp for our steps, His life as the model for us to live by, and His Death and Resurrection as the hope for fullness of life. With Christ, we do not fear death because we live the fulness of life here on earth in joyful service and love. And when our time here is done, we will have the fullness of life after death when we are in union with the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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