Daily Reflections

June 17, 2011
EARTHLY VS. HEAVENLY TREASURE

There seems to be a contrast in our Gospel today, nicely intended by our Lord: between “earthly” treasure on the one hand, and “heavenly” treasure on the other.
It is not that worldly riches are bad as such. It becomes evil when you hoard them for your own selfish enjoyment, and at the expense of others in their want. Instead, Jesus’ exhortation to store up heavenly riches can mean being mindful of the needs of others. In this sense, wealth shared with or given away to others becomes wisely preserved in conditions in which they will not lose their value (through corrosion or infestation by vermin, as our Lord puts it). Instead, a history of greed, tyranny, oppression, inequality and social injustice in society is somehow proof of how material wealth has been pursued selfishly up to now.
And then Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart is also.”
We should face the mirror and ask ourselves the crucial, make-or-break question, “Where is my treasure?” That would determine where my heart is (of which, according to Jesus, our eyes are mere indicators). Is my treasure merely piled up here on earth? That is to say, just kept for my lonesome self? Or is it “invested” in heaven? That is to say, shared with others?
Hopefully, the contrast between earthly and heavenly treasure will disappear. That is because in the first place, we have an unequivocal and definite answer: we’re surely going for the heavenly treasure. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB

Reflection Question:
Where is my heart focused on — on earthly treasures or on heavenly investment?

Grant me the grace of detachment from my earthly treasures, Lord. Help me to use them to bless others.

St. Harvey, pray for us.