Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

A lot could be said about the readings for today. For starters, the first reading from the Second Book of Kings, although it appears to be a merely violent episode which doesn't make much sense out of context, is really about the issue of idolatry. Idolatry is dealt with in a very physically violent way in this passage, because of the eternal spiritual dangers that come along with such idolatry. The entire Book of Judges, for example, is about life without God. The major theme of Judges is chaos. This is what happens when the people cease following God, and it is arguably the most violent book of the Bible. Today's Gospel reading from the Gospel of Matthew, is likewise concerned with a form of idolatry, namely, storing up earthly treasures. This is a difficult teaching for us today. How many of us our overly materialistic? I know that I am. We seek the right job, the right amount of pay, the perfect security for a nice retirement. Even if we want less than this, we want the creature comforts which we need to survive. This is only natural.

But Jesus tells us that what we truly need is in heaven. This is not meant to be a justification for poverty. Rather, it is to help us have a proper focus. What good is it to neglect the eternal things in favor of earthly wealth and comfort, only to end up dying naturally, or through some other cause, and leaving behind all of those creature comforts for eternity? When we die, the only thing we take with us is our bodies, souls, relationships with each other, and relationships with God, all of which are transformed.

How many people, when they are on their deathbed, wish they had spend more time making money, eating, drinking, making merry? Very few. Most people wish they had spent more time with their families, friends, and preparing themselves spiritually for their death. This is part of what Jesus is talking about. Our earthly existence is but a very small fraction of our eternal existence. When we die, that is not the end, rather, that is the beginning of forever. We should prepare ourselves accordingly. How do we spend more of our time and money? Do we spend more of our energies, time, and wealth preparing for our retirement, our future purchases, potential illnesses, etc., or do we spend more of it preparing for eternity?

Is Jesus sayig it's bad to prepare for such earthly things? Of course not. Rather, He is emphasizing how much more important preparing for eternity is. Let us then truly live for tomorrow, not simply for the tomorrow of when we retire, or when we graduate, or when we have money, but rather the tomorrow of eternity, where we will spend most of our lives. Let's not put off the good we need to do, the prayers we need to pray. Rather, let our relationship with God deepen in all of these ways, so that, when the end comes, and when it does it will seem as though it was so fast in coming, we are ready for what lies in store ahead. Above all, let us pray and serve one another in love, let us give of our earthly wealth for heavenly causes, and let us frequent the Eucharist, where we participate in eternity in the here and now. What better way to store up treasures in heaven.

Jeff Morrow