Trust in God’s Fatherly Providence

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [19] “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on
earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, [20]
but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust con-
sumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. [21] For where your treasure
is, there will your heart be also.

[22] “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body
will be full of light; [23] but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full
of darkness.”

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Commentary:

19-21. The idea here is very clear: man’s heart yearns for a treasure which will
give him security and happiness. However, every treasure in the form of earthly
goods—wealth, property—becomes a constant source of worry, because there is
always the risk we will lose it or because the effort to protect it is such a strain.

Against this, Jesus teaches us here that our true treasure lies in good works and
an upright life, which will be eternally rewarded by God in Heaven. That indeed is
a treasure which one never loses, a treasure on which Christ’s disciple should put
his heart.

Jesus closes the teaching contained in the preceding verses with a kind of refrain
(verse 21). He is not saying that people should be unconcerned about earthly
things; what He does say is that no created thing can be “the treasure”, the ult-
imate aim, of man. What man should do is make his way to God, sanctify him-
self and give all glory to God, by making right use of the noble things of the earth:
“Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Co-
rinthians 10:31; cf. Colossians 3:17).

22-23. Here is another jewel of Jesus’ wisdom teaching. It begins with a sentence
which is then immediately explained. The Master uses the simile of the eye as a
lamp which provides the body with light. Christian exegesis has seen this “eye”,
this “lamp”, as meaning the motivation behind our behavior. St. Thomas explains
it in this way: “The eye refers to motive. When a person wants to do something,
he first forms an intention: thus, if your intention is sound—simple and clear—that
is to say, if it is directed towards God, your whole body, that is, all your actions,
will be sound, sincerely directed towards good” (St. Thomas Aquinas, “Commen-
tary on St. Matthew”, 6, 22-23).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading
2 Kings 11:1-4,9-18,20 ©

When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah learned that her son was dead, she promptly did away with all those of royal stock. But Jehosheba, daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, secretly took away Jehoash, her brother’s son, from among the sons of the king who were being murdered, and put him with his nurse in the sleeping quarters; in this way she hid him from Athaliah, and he was not put to death. He stayed with her for six years, hidden in the Temple of the Lord, while Athaliah governed the country.

In the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds of the Carians and of the guards, and had them brought to him in the Temple of the Lord. He made a pact with them and, putting them under oath, showed them the king’s son.

The commanders of hundreds did everything as Jehoiada the priest had ordered. They brought their men, those coming off duty on the sabbath together with those mounting guard on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. The priest equipped the commanders of hundreds with King David’s spears and shields which were in the Temple of the Lord. The guards formed up, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the south corner to the north corner of the Temple, surrounding the altar and the Temple.’ Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown and armlets on him, and he anointed him king. They clapped their hands and shouted, ‘Long live the king!’

Athaliah, on hearing the shouts of the people made for the Temple of the Lord where the people were. When she saw the king standing there beside the pillar, as the custom was, with the captains and trumpeters at the king’s side, and all the country people rejoicing and sounding trumpets, Athaliah tore her garments and shouted, ‘Treason, treason!’ Then Jehoiada the priest gave the order to the army officers: ‘Take her outside the precincts and put to death anyone who follows her.’ ‘For’ the priest had reasoned, ‘she must not be put to death in the Temple of the Lord.’ They seized her, and when she had reached the palace through the Entry of the Horses, she was put to death there.

Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and king and people, by which the latter undertook to be the people of the Lord; and also between king and people. All the country people then went to the temple of Baal and demolished it; they smashed his altars and his images and killed Mattan, priest of Baal, in front of the altars.

The priest posted sentries to guard the Temple of the Lord. All the country people were delighted, and the city made no move. And they put Athaliah to death in the royal palace.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 131:11-14,17-18 ©