Where our treasure is, there will our heart be.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊   

2 kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20*

 When Athaliah,

The mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son had died, she was determined to wipe out all the descendants of the king.  But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash, her nephew, and brought him away from among the king’s sons who were about to be killed, and put him with his wet nurse in the bedroom. Thus she hid him from Athaliah, so that the boy was saved.  And Joash remained hidden in the House of Yahweh for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

In the seventh year, Jehoiada the chief priest, summoned the officers of the royal guard and of the Carites to the House of Yahweh. After concluding a pact with them under oath, he showed them the king’s son.

 The commanders of the guards did what Jehoiada the priest had told them to do and they showed up with all their men, those who were to go off duty on the sabbath as well as those who were to come on duty on that day.   Jehoia­da entrusted to the officers the spears and shields of King David which were in the House of Yahweh.   And then the guards stood from the southern corner of the house to the north, surrounding the altar and the House of Yahweh.

Then Jehoiada, the priest, brought out the king’s son, crowned him and put the bracelets on him, then proclaimed and consecrated him king. All clapped their hands, shouting and crying out, “Long live the king!”

 When Athaliah heard the noise of  the people, she approached the crowd surrounding the House of Yah­weh.   The king was standing by the pillar, according to the custom, and the officers and the trumpeters were with him. The people were filled with joy and they were blowing trumpets. On seeing this, Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason, treason!”

Jehoiada the priest commanded the officers, “Surround her and bring her out to the courtyard, and kill anyone who tries to defend her.” He gave this order, because he thought, “She should not die in the House of Yahweh.”

 They brought her out, and when they reached the palace of the king by the horses’ entrance, there they killed her.

 Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the king and the people so they would be the people of Yahweh.   All the citizens went to the temple of Baal and destroyed it. They broke the altars and the images into pieces, and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, before his altar.

Then Jehoiada, the priest, posted guards over the House of Yahweh.  All the citizens were happy and the city was at peace. Now regarding Athaliah, she had died by the sword in the king’s palace.

 

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

The Lord has chosen Zion for his dwelling.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊  

Matthew 6:19-23

Do not store up treasures for yourself here, in earth, where moth and rust destroy it; and where thieves can steal it. Store up treasures for yourself with God, where no moth or rust can destroy it, nor thief come and steal it.

For where your treasures is, there also, will your heart be. The lamp of the body is the eye if your eyes are sound, your whole body will be full of light. If your eyes are diseased, your whole body will be full of darkness. If, then, the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

 

Gospel Reflection：

Heart That Eyes

Jesus uses the images of treasure, heart, and eyes in one go. How are they connected? Well, Jesus clearly states that where our treasure is, there will our heart be. But how do we know where our heart is? Follow the eyes! The eyes are intimately connected to the heart: Don’t we say that the eyes are the windows to our soul?

 

A mother cannot take her eyes off her baby, because her baby is the treasure that her heart cherishes. A mystic cannot takes eyes off God because God is what her heart treasures. Wherever the mystic turns her eyes to, God is what she sees. If you find your heart wandering after things that are less worthy of who you are, gently force your eyes to what truly matters: the heart will follow suit.