The Gospel according to 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.”
Reflection:
So where is your heart? The answer to that question is answered in today’s gospel. Your heart is wherever your treasure is. So, that begs the question, “What is your treasure?”
This particular passage points to the danger of becoming overly attached to material wealth. But the same goes for anything in this life we can tend to become attached to. What is it you are attached to? What is your treasure? How do you view success?
Ideally, our hearts are attached only to that which God wants them attached. If that’s the case, then the things we love are the treasures that God wants us to love. And by loving those things, we are loving the God who gives them and calls us to love them.
Our treasure should certainly include our family and those others who we are called to love and care for with a special affection. Our treasure should also be our life of prayer and worship. That’s the most direct way we love God in this world. Our treasure could also be particular acts of service we are inspired to do, or anything that makes up the will of God.
Do you love these things? Are they your treasure? The problem is that way too often we tend to love much more than that which God calls us to love. We become deeply attached to the idea of getting rich and having many things. But our unhealthy “loves” can extend even beyond wealth and material things.
Action of the Day:
Reflect, today, upon those things that you may have made far too much of a “treasure” in your life. What is it that you are overly attached to in this passing world?
Audio Reflection:
DEACON5 