HOMILY OF FRIDAY 11TH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B

HOMILY OF FRIDAY 11TH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B

HOMILY THEME: INVESTING IN ETERNAL TREASURE

BY: Fr. Obinna Ezeaputa

Our gospel reading today (Matthew 6:19–23) reminds us that our hearts are where our treasure is (Mt 6:21). Hans Urs von Balthasar insightfully notes that this treasure is not just a future reward but a present reality. Our treasure is Jesus himself, who dwells within us.

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Von Balthasar writes, “The Lord’s presence in us is the treasure that cannot be taken away.” Our hearts are not mere containers but temples where God dwells. When we store up treasures in heaven, we are not merely accumulating future rewards but experiencing the presence of God now.

During the plague of 1591, Aloysius Gonzaga cared for the sick and dying in Rome. One day, while attending to a patient, he contracted the disease himself. As he lay in bed, weak and in pain, he was tempted to despair. But instead, he prayed, “Lord, I am yours, and you are mine. You have given me your presence, and that is my treasure.”

Aloysius understood then that the Lord’s presence in his heart was a treasure that neither sickness nor death could take away. His heart was a temple where God dwelled, and that presence gave him strength and joy.

As he recovered from his illness, Aloysius continued to serve the sick and the poor, storing up treasures in heaven by experiencing God’s presence in his heart. His life became a testament to the truth that our hearts are not mere containers but temples where God dwells, and that His presence is our greatest treasure.

Let us not settle for earthly riches that perish, but rather invest in the eternal treasure of God’s presence. May God transform our hearts into temples where He dwells, and may we radiate His love and joy to everyone we encounter. Amen.

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