It’s no coincidence that Our Lord’s teaching regarding our hearts and our sight in today’s Gospel are linked. The First Reading shows that Ataliah’s ambition to seize the throne upon her son’s death blinded her to the fact that someone could overthrow her just as easily, and that she wasn’t entitled to the “treasure” of the throne. If we treasure things wrongly in our hearts, instead of treasuring the Lord and his interests, sooner or later we will be blinded by our vices and prevented from seeing our evil or others’ good.
Jehosheba, Joash and Jehoida knew who the Lord meant to rule Israel, and to rule it for the good of Israel, not just the selfish ambitions of one person. They put their faith and their treasure in God, and when the Lord helped them recover Joash’s rightful throne, the covenant with the Lord was renewed and the worship of false gods overthrown, all to the benefit of Israel.
Society today often applauds ambition, but Our Lord reminds us today that the only ambition we should pursue is to love him and help as many other people as possible treasure him in their hearts. Let’s ask Our Lord today to help us treasure him and see clearly in everything to which we aspire in life.
Readings: 2 Kings 11:1–4, 9–18, 20; Psalm 132:11–14, 17–18; Matthew 6:19–23. See also 11th Week in Ordinary Time, Friday.