Where is your Heart?

Today’s Gospel Text: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; 23 but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! Matt 6:19-23

Reflection: Oh! The human heart! In the physical sense, who can move it except through surgery or by accident and yet, all things are possible with the human heart.

The heart can move with compassion

The heart could be moved with pity

The heart could be gripped by fear

The heart could be become hardened and stony

The heart could skip a beat in moments of shock, surprises or excitement

The heart loves and can ache

The heart can be in great pain over the loss of a loved one

O the power of the human heart, which is the seat of every emotion; it is able to move and work not just physically but also emotionally.

One of the qualities of the human heart that can be detrimental for our salvation is that of possessing things and even accumulating or hoarding.

We do that because we feel that we will be able to make much out of life or do it for the sake of security which we feel when we hoard things.

It is these very thing that Jesus is warning us against, concerning hoarding of treasures: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (vs. 21)

Our hearts sometimes can be so set on treasures that we may even forget every aspect of human relationships. 

The worse is when that treasure has been earned by us through hard work, then we feel that we have every right to it, even forgetting God who has given us the ability to earn.  (cfr. Dt. 8:18)

On the other hand, a man can have the abundance of wealth and riches without having his heart set on them, though it is rare. But God can make what is impossible with man possible with his help (cfr. Mt. 19:26, Mk.10:27, Lk. 18:27)   

Prayer:  “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!  Wealth and riches are in his house; and his righteousness endures forever. Ps 112: 1, 3

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Breads

Today’s Gospel Text:  Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me; 39 and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:35-40

Reflection: I am often fascinated by the types of bread that are available in the market place.

There could be plain bread or sliced loaf or designed bread or spiced up breads or sweetened bread or diet bread or hand bread or bread made from flours of various grains or bread that are specifically fortified with vitamins or there are the many stuffed varieties, etc., etc.,

It is the basic ingredient of every meal and no meal seems complete without bread. 

In the gospel passage we have Jesus positioning himself as the Bread of Life.

But isn’t it the quality of all breads to give life; for we can’t survive without eating and eat we must in order to survive.  

Hence the bread winner is such an important member of the family that apart from him the dependents would almost be on the streets begging for their daily food.

True, it is the quality of bread to give life but when Jesus claims that he is the Bread of Life, he is claiming life and life and even life eternal, which any bread of this world cannot and never can provide except Jesus.

One of the qualities of this bread that Jesus will give is that we will not hunger for eternal life anymore, not because it will quench our desire for it; a desire in every human heart, but instead it will satisfy this desire for the eternal life.

Each one who has found it will assert in their hearts that they have found the source of eternal life and shall eat and be satisfied.

Whereas, while Adam ate of the fruit for the same purpose, so as too desire the eternity of God but Jesus gives of himself on the tree of life (cross) so that we may live in the very life of God eternal.

Prayer:  Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, the son of man whom thou hast made strong for thyself! Then we will never turn back from thee; give us life, and we will call on thy name! Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let thy face shine, that we may be saved! Ps 80:17-19

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Weighed Down

Today’s Gospel Text:  "But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare; 35 for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth. 36 But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:34-36

Reflection: What is the human heart made of that it not only sustains life by carrying blood to various parts of the body but is also the seat of emotions?

It can flutter, or get terrified gripped with fear, or miss a heartbeat, or can get heavy, or be filled with lust and love, or even jump with joy, etc.

Jesus too, when he invites us to be cautious, adds some of the possibilities the human heart is capable of, viz., of that of being weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and cares of this world.

When the stomach is empty the mind doesn't always think, when the hands are loaded you cannot do another job like wise when the heart is weighed down the mind cannot arrive at right decisions. 

Hence like a good teacher Jesus cautions us to desist and to be always prepared by avoiding those things which can kill our discerning abilities and prevent us to receive the free gift of Salvation offered by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Such a thing can happen if our hearts are weighed down. 

What are these cares of the world that Jesus cautions us about and which can weigh our hearts down? 

It could be anything that we spend our precious time on; either in an addictive way or pleasurable way.

Hence whether it is our addictions on social networking sites and internet surfing, the games and enjoyments that we spend time on, the preoccupation with eating and drinking, looking out for more friends and partners, pornography, drugs, excessive preoccupation with health, wealth, possessions and relationships, excess love of self and gratifications, entertaining ourselves to deal with our boredom, worldly news and gossips, etc., are instances of cares of the world. 

The heart addicted to these cares, never wants to give up even though it weighs it down, destroying our reasoning’s to seek the right values. Above all, it prevents us to perceive  the great meaning in the sacrifice of Jesus and the good news of salvation which he freely offers to all those who are willing to accept it.

Prayer:  Lord give me the help of your Holy Spirit to discern and surrender those elements of sin that weighs my heart down so as to prevent your life and grace to rule my life.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us