FRIDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME JUNE 17, 2022

MASS READINGS

A reading from the holy Gospel according to 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”.

In choosing a vocation, many are counselled by teachers as well as by priests, family and friends. Our God given gifts and graces helped our final decision making.

To our indescribable joy we got our first paycheck. We were now independent: we furnished our homes, decorated ourselves and cared for our children‘s needs.

We were set for the future. Or so we thought…

Somewhere, somehow, and sometime, the accumulation of wealth became a drive for many up to the point that we forgot about our final destination. Our actions and deeds no longer sang praise and worship for the Name of Jesus. Nor were they done for His glory.

It is important to take inventory and ask: Will our efforts and treasures get us to heaven?

The standards of the world have taken the place of God’s. We set aside Sunday for Jesus and, mind you, only one hour—That is if the world did not beckon us to do other things. We can get so complacent, especially with someone who loves us so much. We take this most precious love for granted. And in doing so, we are reminded that our selfish self love and pride have to stop and let us become the living tabernacle of Jesus.

Our God is so good to us that He told us to refer to Him as Our Father. We are to live as temples of God, who lives in us. God gave us Jesus— the Way to perfection. Does He not pray in me when at Mass He surrenders all to His Father?

The Holy Spirit is here to help and lead the soul to holiness. At first it begins with promptings of holy inspirations to despise the goods of earth, self denial, love of God and of neighbor. And through those same God given gifts and graces, we desire Jesus.

May we find a holy joy of service praying for ourselves and others, with an unselfishness of spending all day with the Holy Spirit in the people He brings into our lives.

“For wherever your treasure is, there also will your heart be. “ (Matthew 6)

God bless you.