Reflection for June 17, Friday of the Eleventh Week in OT; Matthew 6:19-23

Gospel: Matthew 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.”

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Reflection:

There were two friends named Romeo and Lito. Romeo was a man of the world, he was very obsessed on getting rich. He engaged in business spending a major portion of his time thinking how he could further grow it. He was very successful at it because he ended up as one the richest in their town. He was a very busy man and due to his busyness God was never part of his life.

Lito was the exact opposite of George; he was not obsessed with getting rich. He was content with his job in the government. He was a very pious man, doesn’t miss to worship Jesus at Mass and he was a helpful presence in their community.

Eventually both of them died, Lito had a smooth transition towards heaven but Romeo was not as fortunate. He was denied entry by Saint Peter for he stored treasures on earth where moth and decay destroys and thieves break in and steal.

Whether we admit it or not majority of us are people of this world, we are so concerned with our materials wellbeing and the exterior impression that others would have on us. We forget that what we have in this world are all temporary. It’s like “Chasing the wind” so to speak. All these material things that we have right now will eventually slip from our hands sooner or later.

What is important is we store up treasures in heaven.  Where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. This is best exemplified by being always connected with God and by doing acts of mercy and love.

Let us always bear in mind that all of us are just passersby in this world, this is not our permanent dwelling. Thus we have to put forward God first before anything that is from this world. – Marino J. Dasmarinas