June 19

June 19, 2015:  Friday, 11th week, Ordinary Time

• 'Stone' tie pin:  "Once I was stoned" (1st reading)

• 'Sailboats' tie:  "Three times I was shipwrecked" (1st reading)

• 'Jubilee year' button:  Look to the Lord and be radiant with joy (psalm)

• 'Girl with heart' pin:  Where your treasure is, there will your heart be.  (gospel)

• 'Penny' button:  use your wealth for the common good (gospel, pope's homily)

• 'Eyeball' pin:  The lamp of the body is the eye. (gospel)

• Green shirt:  Ordinary Time season

Listen

• I found the treasure/ Schutte (gospel)
• Christ, be our Light/ Farrell (another) (gospel)

• The cry of the poor/ Foley (psalm)
• Taste and see/ Hurd, Haugen, Moore,Vaughan Williams (another Vaughan Williams) (psalm)

• Only what you do for Christ will last/ Rasberry:  info (gospel)

Guest dresser

Kelly Wahlquist, of CatholicVineyard.com, at DISC 2015:
heart-cross for "where your treasure is, there is your heart" (gospel),
green for Ordinary Time

Pope Francis

Today's homily:  Greed corrupts and destroys:  Wealth doesn’t give us lasting security; it tends to reduce your dignity. And greed is at the root of war, including the war in our hearts.  The Lord said, ‘Be on your guard against avarice....’  Greed keeps moving forward, …   it’s like a stairway:  vanity comes in, and we believe ourselves important and powerful; then pride and all the other vices.  The first step is avarice, the desire to accumulate wealth.

People with wealth are administrators of riches for the common good; it's hard because of the temptation to greed.  We must think about others and realize what we own is for others' benefit; we can't take anything with us.  If I use what the Lord gives me for the common good, it'll make me a saint.

Don’t play with fire:  People who accumulate wealth give excuses, but the only treasures we should store up are the ones with value in ‘the handbag of Heaven.’  So many people calm their consciences by giving what they have left over as alms.  They're not administrators; administrators must take what they need for themselves and give everything that's left over to others.  Administering wealth is continually stripping away our own interests, not believing riches will save us.

Laudato Sí walkthrough starts today (chapter 1):   

What's happening to our common home:  Listen to the cry of creation; become painfully aware, turn what's happening to the world into our own personal suffering, and discover what we can do about it:

Climate change is a global problem with environmental, social, economic, and political implications; it's a principal challenge facing humanity, and the greatest impact of its change falls on the poorest.  Many with resources and power want to mask problems or conceal symptoms.  Our lack of response to tragedies involving our brothers and sisters points to loss of a sense of responsibility for others.

Access to drinkable water is a basic human right; it's essential to survival and so a condition for the exercise of other human rights.  Depriving the poor of access to water is denying the right to life consistent with their dignity.

Loss of biodiversity:  Plant and animal species are disappearing; they're not just an exploitable resource but have intrinsic value.  We're grateful for scientists' and engineers' efforts to find solutions to problems we've created, but when finance and consumerism are the drivers, our earth is becoming less rich and beautiful and more limited and grey.

Decline in quality of life, breakdown of society:  An “ecological debt” exists in the world, with North in debt to South.  In the face of climate change, there are differentiated responsibilities, and developed countries' are greater.

There are positive examples, but people can be complacent and reckless.  Lacking are adequate culture and willingness to change lifestyle, production, and consumption, while efforts are being made to establish a framework that can set boundaries and protect ecosystems.

Read

• 2 Cor 11:18, 21-30  Since many boast, I will too.  Like others, I'm a descendant of Abraham and a minister of Christ, but with greater labors, more imprisonments, dangers, and brushes with death.  There's daily pressure on me; I'm anxious for all the churches.  I'll boast of things that show my weakness.

• Ps 34:2-7  "From all their distress God rescues the just."  Glorify the Lord with me.  The Lord answered and delivered me.  Look to him and be radiant.  When the poor call, the Lord hears and saves.

• Mt 6:19-23  “Don't store up treasures on earth, where they can be destroyed or stolen; store treasures in heaven where they're safe.  Where your treasure is, there will your heart be.  “The lamp of the body is the eye; if it's sound, your body will be filled with light, or else it'll be in darkness....

Reflect

• Creighton:  The Kingdom Jesus speaks of is contrasted with the Roman kingdom based on wealth and power.  The heart longs for what lasts forever, but since we can also want the 'Roman kingdom,' we're in tension.  We can be disciples if we keep our eyes on our hearts....

• One Bread One Body:  "Black light":  If we allow secular values to form our minds and consciences, our "light is darkness"; like someone in black light, we see what's true but don't recognize it.  May I be immersed in Jesus who calls me from darkness into his marvelous light.

• Passionist:  Paul invites us to look at our true self when he “boasts” about what it means to be a follower of Jesus, and Jesus invites us to the same when he asks what we value.  Following Jesus is counter-cultural.  We're invited to learn the difference between boasting and our true self.  We can love ourselves only because God loved us; we can love others because God loves them too.  Paul invites us to look at our failures to see God's hand in our weakness.

Where do I spend our time and money?  Who's important to us?  What do we value?  The answers will help us discover where our heart is.  In this month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let's think about where Jesus' heart is.  Who did he treasure in his life?

• DailyScripture.net:  Jesus offers treasure, but we need good vision to recognize it.  He contrasts material and spiritual wealth and urges his disciples to invest in wealth that lasts forever, heavenly treasure God protects, the treasure of God himself and his kingdom, available now.  May I direct my energy to obtain it by entering into deeper life with God, letting go of false treasure.  Blurred vision is a metaphor for moral and spiritual blindness.  My vision reflects not only how I see myself and the world but also my inner being and character.  Clouded vision distorts the light of God's truth.  Only Christ, Light of the World, can free us from spiritual darkness....

• Universalis:  St. Romuald, hermit, founder; see Catholic Encyclopedia.

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