Gospel Reflection for The 20th day of June in the year of Our Lord, 2025
Matthew 6:19-23
19 Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal. 20 But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal.
21 For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also. 22 The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be lightsome. 23 But if thy eye be evil thy whole body shall be darksome. If then the light that is in thee, be darkness: the darkness itself how great shall it be!
I think, in some ways, that having a rather difficult childhood was good preparation for understanding such passages as today's Gospel. My grandfather's ALS disease really dominated my childhood. Most days and nights were spent in hospitals or in his bedroom at home, where he was completely paralyzed and on a ventilator. Moreover, I had no brothers and sisters and most of my family members were elderly. Severe illness and death really dominated my formative years. Due to this, and other issues concerning my father, I never had the idea that many kids have of life continuing as it has, with stability and comfort. I'm sure this is true for many, especially now, when intact families are rare. But, my response to a ringing telephone was, “What fresh hell awaits us now?”
As I write this today, a hurricane is making landfall on the Florida panhandle region. It looks to be a very bad storm. People will lose their homes, their possessions and even their lives. What they have worked for their entire lives may be gone in an instant. All we can do is pray. Recently, a friend lost his wife to cancer. She was nearly 20 years younger than he and a real “health nut.” Her cancer progressed quickly and was a shock to everyone. In many ways, she was his world. On his own he is quiet and studious, an intelligent but socially awkward man. Not only was she his wife, but his best friend and his entire focus. Without her, he will likely become socially isolated.
Life is hard. Perhaps because of this, we focus on possessions, professions, status and relationships. Today, our Lord reminds us that we will lose all of these. If our heart is entirely with temporal things and people, we will lose everything one day. When it comes to the people we love, we have hope to join them in heaven. Money, fame, possessions and power will simply be lost. If we love God, we have an eternal hope. The only treasures that last are in Heaven. And that, is where our heart must be. That does not mean that we will not suffer and grieve in this life, but there is hope in what lays beyond this life and that is what matters most.
Judson Carroll is the author of several books, including his newest, A Daily Catholic Devotional, Reflections on the Daily Mass Readings July-December, 2025 It is Available in paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F5BHFZ7X
and
Confirmation, an Autobiography of Faith. It is also Available in paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47Q1JNK
His podcast is The Uncensored Catholic https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-uncensored-catholic