Prayer Prompt before reading MT 6:19-23: Come, Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray, interpret the Scriptures for me so that I may know the Truth about who God the Father is and God the Son so that I may know who I am.
“FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE ALSO WILL YOUR HEART BE.” MT 6:19-23
Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
Jesus teaches us two profound things today: the intention of your heart is where God dwells (is it dark or light) and the most important part of the body is your eyes (spiritually). St. Katharine Drexel lost her mother when she was an infant. Her father remarried and they opened their doors to the poor each week. Her father was a wealthy banker who came home and prayed each day for one hour.
She loved them both very much. She lost her father and step-mother within 6 months of each other. She inherited millions. What she found out was that there wasn’t enough money to bring back those near and dear to her heart. She spent every penny of her inheritance to help Native Americans and African Americans in our country.
On our death bed the last thing we will care about is not our money, how big our house is, our car, our trophies and awards, it will be whether we loved enough. Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel that we have an allotted amount of time on earth. It is designed by the Creator to allow Him to transform us into love (made in His image and likeness), then to be spent loving and serving others, especially those He placed closest to us.
Money and material things have their place in our lives, but they should not control us. We must be careful not to fall into this trap that is very easy to do and which I have done. Wealth, power, honor, and pleasure are easy and they are the 4 substitutes St. Thomas Aquinas explains that humans use to replace God. Love is hard. Love likes to suffer and requires sacrifice and unselfishness. Jesus gave up all to save us, we must look to Him as our model. God is love.
Second, if we want to have the right intention in our hearts we must keep a sound eye. Our eyes must constantly be fixed on the things of heaven which are spiritual. This follows the “Our Father” from yesterday that Jesus taught us.
“The lamp of the body is the eye.” Mt. 6:19-23
After we listen to our heart, we are called to battle each day to train our eyes on heavenly things instead of earthly things. For guys, this is crucial because we lust through our eyes. Do an experiment. For one week, do not watch TV/Netflix or anything on your cell phone/computer (no Youtube videos), and no movies.
During the time you usually spend watching these things help somebody in your house or go outside and do something. Take time to pray, add a Bible app or Catholic app to your phone and look at it. Read a spiritual book or saint book. At the end of the week, after your eyes have been on heavenly things instead of earthly things, how has training your eyes helped you to have a more pure heart. Are you happy in the light or the dark? It’s your choice.
Padre Pio says, “Humility and a pure heart are the wings that take you to heaven.” I struggle most with heart and eyes being in the right place and training them to be better. This is a difficult battle, but the rewards are eternal. Pray for me as I pray for you in this difficult battle. What we put our eyes on physically or spiritually will have everything to do with the intention of our hearts. May we ask for God’s grace to avoid distractions and temptations that lead us away from our spiritual home.
Today’s challenge: Ask yourself what really is the most important things in your life. You know it’s people you love very much, but we spend a lot more time with a device instead of those people. Sacrifice and be present today to those God has put in your life. Enjoy the rewards of your efforts.
You will laugh, be full with joy, and see things in a completely different way. If today was your last day on earth, would everyone know the intention of your heart was set on heavenly things. If not, thank God for time to change and repent, start over, persevere, and love. Do the experiment mentioned in the last paragraph.
Be a servant, be a saint today!
#Christian YODO (You Only Die Once; we will live again!)
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