The Catholic Calendar for Friday, June 17, 2005
Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
2 Corinthians 11:18.21-30
Psalm 34:2-7
Matthew 6:19-23

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth."

In the few, simple words of today's reading, the Lord instructs us and admonishes us. He gives us marching orders for our focus in life. Do not store up treasures here on Earth. There is nothing wrong with those goods when put to the proper use, but they are perishable like all things of this world. To put it in the phrases of a recent Country Song, "Ain't never seen a hearse with a luggage rack." It will stay behind when we go on, naked and alone to face judgment.

Better that we array ourselves in robes of finest light, that we cloak ourselves in the riches of heaven so that when we move on, we take with us all the things God has given us to return to the treasury of his Mercy. Better that our lives reflect the life of our own Lord who took nothing with him, who had "no place to rest his head," and yet who directed the course of all history that followed Him, and whose naked person was sufficiently valuable for God to redeem the entire world in all of its sinfulness. It is better to go to God as did Jesus, arrayed in God's finery.

When we choose this way, we choose light--the true light of the world, the complete light that shines down upon us all. It is the fullness of light in which there is no darkness. In all of the good things of the world--and they are good things--there is something of darkness because the fall of humankind has sullied them. But in the things of God there can be no darkness, because God, triune and uniate is one, is simple. He is, simply, Love, Mercy, Justice, Kindness, Patience, Light.

Given a choice between that and anything on Earth, there really is no choice. Let me take God's own goodness for my own. Let my treasures be His own, the one’s He has given me. Let my praise rise constantly, and let me offer the only offering worth anything at all: myself, wholly and entire. May God bless each of us with the strength to value what is Worthy.

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." (Rev 5:12)

- JuandelaCruz
(http://floscarmeli.stblogs.org/)

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