In a concentration camp in war-torn Poland, a group of friends shared their last remaining pack of cookies. Some ate it quickly, while others were diligently saving their share. At midnight, James stood up in the dark and slipped his hand inside a pocket of a coat hanging on the wall where Dan kept his cookies. A third friend caught James with his hand still in the pocket.

James was caught in the act and didn’t deny anything. “We’re so disappointed in you,” shouted everyone who was awakened by the commotion. They checked the pocket of Dan’s coat, happy to find the last cookie still there. But Dan was surprised. “I’ve eaten all my cookies,” he said. “In fact, I was hungry tonight and had nothing to eat. There isn’t supposed to be a cookie in that pocket!” Now everybody understood. James, humbly and quietly, had sacrificed his share to feed the hungry Dan.

I guess that’s how you store up cookies in heaven. 

Jon Escoto (jonmaris@yahoo.com) 

reflect

Financial management is OK; greed is not. Greed is when you “store up for yourselves treasures on earth.” How do you “store up treasures in heaven?”

Jesus, give me the compassion to give and the wisdom to do it. Amen. 

Saint Romuald, abbot, pray for us.

Death and destruction came upon many people in today’s reading. This may not provide constructive points we can reflect on, yet this is a part of history we have to deal with. There are things we have done that we regret. Let us learn from our mistakes and not dwell on them. Let us focus on the future and live better lives. 

¹ When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she began to kill off the whole royal family. ² But Jehosheba, daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash, his son, and spirited him away, along with his nurse, from the bedroom where the princes were about to be slain. She concealed him from Athaliah, and so he did not die. 3 For six years he remained hidden in the temple of the Lord, while Athaliah ruled the land. ⁴ But in the seventh year, Jehoiada summoned the captains of the Carians and of the guards. He had them come to him in the temple of the Lord, exacted from them a sworn commitment, and then showed them the king’s son. ⁹ The captains did just as Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each one with his men, both those going on duty for the sabbath and those going off duty that week, came to Jehoiada the priest. ¹⁰ He gave the captains King David’s spears and shields, which were in the temple of the Lord. ¹¹ And the guards, with drawn weapons, lined up from the southern to the northern limit of the enclosure, surrounding the altar and the temple on the king’s behalf. ¹² Then Jehoiada led out the king’s son and put the crown and the insignia upon him. They proclaimed him king and anointed him, clapping their hands and shouting, “Long live the king!” ¹³ Athaliah heard the noise made by the people, and appeared before them in the temple of the Lord. ¹⁴ When she saw the king standing by the pillar, as was the custom, and the captains and trumpeters near him, with all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, she tore her garments and cried out, “Treason, treason!” ¹⁵ Then Jehoiada the priest instructed the captains in command of the force: “Bring her outside through the ranks. If anyone follows her,” he added, “let him die by the sword.” He had given orders that she should not be slain in the temple of the Lord. ¹⁶ She was led out forcibly to the horse gate of the royal palace, where she was put to death. ¹⁷ Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord as one party and the king and the people as the other, by which they would be the Lord’s people; and another covenant between the king and the people. ¹⁸ Thereupon all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and demolished it. They shattered its altars and images completely, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal, before the altars. Jehoiada appointed a detachment for the temple of the Lord. 20 All the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet, now that Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the royal palace.   

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 132:11, 12, 13-14, 17-18

R: The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.

¹¹ The Lord swore to David a firm promise from which he will not withdraw: “Your own offspring I will set upon your throne.” (R) ¹² “If your sons keep my covenant and the decrees which I shall teach them, their sons, too, forever shall sit upon your throne.” (R) ¹³ For the Lord has chosen Zion; he prefers her for his dwelling. ¹⁴ “Zion is my resting place forever; in her will I dwell, for I prefer her.” (R) ¹⁷ “In her will I make a horn to sprout forth for David; I will place a lamp for my anointed. ¹⁸ His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon him my crown shall shine.” (R)  

Gospel | Matthew 6:19-23

Jesus exhorts us to store up treasures that cannot be destroyed. This means prioritizing the good works we do rather than the material possessions we seek to acquire. Works of love will endure, unlike those rewarded with earthly payment. While we must acknowledge the importance of worldly necessities, our eternal lives must always remain at the forefront of our hearts and minds.

Gospel Acclamation

Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

¹⁹ Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. ²² “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; ²³ but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”

Reflect

What treasures have you been storing for yourself? Do they bring you closer or further from heaven?

Read the Bible in one year! Read 2 KING 19 - 22 today.

Many of us have treasure boxes. For some women, they carefully and neatly keep their jewelries in a treasure box. Similarly, our hearts are like treasure boxes. What we keep in our hearts reflects what we treasure in our lives, and it is good to reflect on the contents of our “treasure boxes” and consider what we value the most in our lives today.

The Gospel highlights two body organs—our eyes and hearts—that we should be mindful of regarding what truly matters to us. Our eyes are considered the lamp that provides enlightenment and wisdom to us, because what we see can become the focus of our attention and obsession—which eventually become what we treasure in our hearts. Thus, there is a significant connection between the eyes and the heart.

For instance, consider the difference between a regular wristwatch and a very expensive one that some people obsess over. Both simply tell the time, but owning an expensive watch makes us feel good about ourselves and gives us something to boast about.

Our readings today encourage us to assess what our real treasures are and what is genuinely important in our hearts and lives. By looking deeper into our hearts and examining what is inside, we may be surprised to find that what we value are not the physical possessions we hold, but the feelings we keep inside—love, joy, peace. 

Fr. Jason Laguerta 

reflection questions

If the Lord were to look into your heart today, what would He find? Does it contain negativities or materialistic tendencies, or does it contain pure joy, peace, hope, and love?

Father God, we ask You to give us the right pair of eyes so that we can truly see what is essential in our life. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _______________________________________