True Treasures-Homily for Friday of the 11th week in ordinary time JUNE 2023

HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 11TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

2Cor.11:18, 21b-30’ Ps.34; Mathew 6:19-23

True Treasures

The Gospel of Matthew from where today’s gospel reading is taken basically presents Jesus as a great teacher. This is probably because the audience of Matthew were Jewish Christians who were confronted with a crisis of faith as they had to choose between fidelity to Jesus and the Jewish law and traditions in which they had been raised. In preaching about the kingdom of God, Jesus, as the fulfilment of the Jewish law, warns his disciples about the enticement of earthly treasures. This is because while earthly treasures are temporal and short-sighted, we are destined for eternity.

The treasures of this world are manifestations of the providence of God but when we see them as the substance of our confidence, joy and security, they constitute idols. Jesus tells us in the gospel reading that the only thing that will last forever is the treasure of heaven.

This heavenly treasure is of two aspects. First, there are rewards waiting for us at the end of time. At the last judgment, we will receive our recompense for every act of love and obedience to Christ. The second aspect of heavenly treasure is what we can experience here and now. When we submit ourselves to Christ, life on earth is filled with the glimpse of heaven: we experience power to overcome sin, courage to do what is right, trust in the mercy of God, conviction of the truth, peace in times of trials, joy in the knowledge of salvation, divine wisdom for everyday situations, hope for the future, and so on. Come to think of it, can any earthly treasure be compared to these?

We pray at this Mass that relying constantly on Divine Wisdom, we may not be guilty of taking signs for reality.