June 17

June 17, 2016:  Friday, 11th week, Ordinary Time

• 'Sword' pin:  “let him die by the sword.”  (1st reading)

• 'Golden calf' pin:  they demolished the temple of Baal and slew the priest of Baal (1st reading)

• 'Angel with trumpet/horn' pin:  When she saw the trumpeters, with everyone rejoicing and blowing trumpets... (1st reading); “In Zion I will make a horn sprout forth for David" (psalm)

• 'Lucy in the sky with diamonds' tie (gift from our daughter Lucy):  "Store up treasures in heaven." (gospel)

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

• Green shirt:  Ordinary Time (season)

Listen

• Psalm 132:  Let's worship God, let's go to worship him/ Silver

• Psalm 132:  This is my resting place forever/ Mui

• I found the treasure, from The Steadfast Love/ Schutte (lyrics #16) (gospel)

• Christ, be our Light/ Farrell:  another, sheet music (gospel)

Pope Francis to Rome diocese

Our “provisional” and “throwaway” culture has largely become incapable of thinking that any good, even one’s word, could be lasting and worth preserving at any price.  The culture of the provisional is everywhere, even in the priesthood and religious life.  It's why a large majority of our sacramental marriages are null:  they say, “Yes, all my life” but don't know what they're saying.

I banned “rush marriages,” usually celebrated when an unmarried couple found themselves expecting, in Buenos Aires when I was archbishop, because I felt they were acting out of social pressure rather than informed understanding of Christian marriage.  The marriage crisis is because people don’t know the beauty of the sacrament, that it's indissoluble, for life.  It's hard.

Read

No; store treasure in heaven

• 2 Kgs 11:1-4, 9-18, 20  When Ahaziah's mother, Athaliah, saw her son was dead, she began to kill off the royal family, but Jehosheba, King Jehoram's daughter and Ahaziah's sister, took his son Joash and concealed him, so he remained hidden for years; then Jehoiada showed him to the captains and led out and crowned him.  When Athaliah heard the noise and saw the rejoicing, she cried out, “Treason!”  Jehoiada instructed the captains to kill her.  Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people; he made another between king and people.  The people demolished the temple of Baal and its altars, slew the priest of Baal, and rejoiced.

• Ps 132:11-14, 17-18  "The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling."  He swore to David:  “I'll set your offspring on your throne.  If your sons keep my covenant, their sons will sit on your throne too.”

• Mt 6:19-23  “Don't store up treasures that can be destroyed or stolen; store up treasures in heaven.  Your heart is where your treasure is.  The eye is the body's lamp; it it's sound, your body will be filled with light; if not, your body will be in darkness.”

Reflect

• Creighton:  Today's 1st reading is about jealousy, contempt, murder, pain, and fear, all earthly pursuits resulting in suffering.  When Athaliah realized there was a threat to her reign, she took the quickest means to secure her "treasures" by killing the royal family, so she thought.  But she died by the same sword.  How many wars have been fought and blood shed just to secure earthly treasures?

• One Bread, One Body:  "The minefield":  The queen mother, Athaliah, killed off the royal family except the infant Joash.  Seven years later, Joash and Jehoiada overturned her wicked, idolatrous reign.  The pattern continues:  an evil system dominates society and destroys so many that only a few survive, but the remnant by God's power overturns the evil.  Today one out of three unborn children is aborted, others are destroyed by abuse and neglect, and still others become "spiritually brain-dead" from society's brainwashing.  But a few Joashes make it through the minefield....

• Passionist:  Will goodness ultimately triumph?  The 1st reading starts with mass slaughter, but Joash crushes Athaliah’s hold on power.  The story is ironic because Athaliah, discovering Joash has been made king, accuses the people of treason, not realizing she's the traitor because she abandoned God's ways for evil.  Sin deceives and kills; goodness and faithfulness bring life.  But if we seek heavenly treasure, praise to God, love God and neighbor, and live a holy life, joy and peace will come.  Goodness ultimately triumphs...

• DailyScripture.net:  "Lay up treasure in heaven":  We need healthy eyes to see Jesus offers the greatest treasure we can possess.  Jesus, contrasting material and spiritual wealth, urges his disciples to invest in wealth that lasts forever, the treasure of God and his kingdom, which produces joy by uniting us with God.  In Christ we receive an imperishable, undefiled, unfading inheritance, a kingdom of peace, joy, and righteousness in the Spirit.  It's both a present and future reality.  Treasure seekers go to any length to receive their reward.  We direct our energies to what we value most.  To set yourself on heavenly treasure, enter into deeper life with God, letting go of false treasure.

Jesus used the image of blurred vision as a metaphor for moral stupidity and spiritual blindness.  The eye is the window of our heart, mind, and inner being.  How we views our life and reality reflects our personal vision, inner being, soul, and character.  If the window is clouded or soiled, the light of God's truth will be deflected and distorted.  Only Jesus Christ, Light of the World, can free us from spiritual darkness.  Prejudice, jealousy, and conceit can blind or distort our "vision" of what's true, good, lovely, pure, and eternal.  Am I living by right judgment and sound principles.  Love is not jealous but rejoices with the truth...

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