Treasures In Heaven

JUNE 23, 2023 FRIDAY
Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
CYCLE A- YEAR I
Lectionary: 369

Reading 1
2 Cor 11:18, 21-30

Brothers and sisters:
Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast.
To my shame I say that we were too weak!
But what anyone dares to boast of
(I am speaking in foolishness)
I also dare.
Are they Hebrews? So am I.
Are they children of Israel? So am I.
Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
Are they ministers of Christ?
(I am talking like an insane person).
I am still more, with far greater labors,
far more imprisonments, far worse beatings,
and numerous brushes with death.
Five times at the hands of the Jews
I received forty lashes minus one.
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned,
three times I was shipwrecked,
I passed a night and a day on the deep;
on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers,
dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race,
dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city,
dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea,
dangers among false brothers;
in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights,
through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings,
through cold and exposure.
And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me
of my anxiety for all the churches.
Who is weak, and I am not weak?
Who is led to sin, and I am not indignant?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

Responsorial Psalm
PS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (see 18b) From all their distress God rescues the just.

I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.

R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.

R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.

R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

Alleluia
Mt 5:3

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mt 6:19-23

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.
But store up treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“The lamp of the body is the eye.
If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light;
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.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Jesus once again reminds us that God looks at the heart, and challenges us to ask ourselves where our real priorities lie. Where is my heart? My treasure? Is it something that is durable, that cannot be corrupted by moth or by rust, or is it something merely material or ethereal, like money or success or popularity?

PRAYER:

When I look at my heart, I may find it is a divided one, undecided, torn between different or conflicting loyalties, whose light is weak and does not illuminate my path in life. I look with gratitude on those persons I admire for their integrity, and pray for the grace of an undivided heart.

Treasures In Heaven

JUNE 17, 2022, FRIDAY

Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time (Green)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 369

Reading I

2 Kgs 11:1-4, 9-18, 20

When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah,

saw that her son was dead,

she began to kill off the whole royal family.

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.

For six years he remained hidden in the temple of the LORD,

while Athaliah ruled the land.

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.

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.

He gave the captains King David’s spears and shields,

which were in the temple of the LORD.

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.

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!”

Athaliah heard the noise made by the people,

and appeared before them in the temple of the LORD.

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!”

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.

She was led out forcibly to the horse gate of the royal palace,

where she was put to death.

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.

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.

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

132:11, 12, 13-14, 17-18

R. (13) The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.

The LORD swore to David

a firm promise from which he will not withdraw:

“Your own offspring

I will set upon your throne.”

R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.

“If your sons keep my covenant

and the decrees which I shall teach them,

Their sons, too, forever

shall sit upon your throne.”

R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.

For the LORD has chosen Zion;

he prefers her for his dwelling.

“Zion is my resting place forever;

in her will I dwell, for I prefer her.”

R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.

“In her will I make a horn to sprout forth for David;

I will place a lamp for my anointed.

His enemies I will clothe with shame,

but upon him my crown shall shine.”

R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.

Alleluia

Mt 5:3

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are the poor in spirit;

for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mt 6:19-23

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.

But store up treasures in heaven,

where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

“The lamp of the body is the eye.

If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light;

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.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Where is my treasure? Where does my heart gravitate towards when I am not busy? Is it to someone I love? Or is it to something trivial, prey to rust and moths?

PRAYER:

Lord, help and guide me in controlling my earthly wants. Strengthen my will not to felt greed and envy against anyone in order to get my own happiness due to the material things here on Earth.