REFLECTIONS TODAY The Greek word brosis (read here as “decay”) literally means “eating away.” In Jesus’ time, corn and grain may consist somebody’s wealth. Worms, rats, and mice could get into a granary and eat away the grain. The word for “break in” is diorussein. In ancient Palestine, the walls of many of the houses were made of baked clay. Robbers could easily break in through the wall and get whatever precious within. There was no permanence about these possessions. Jesus invites his listeners to evaluate what they consider to be “treasure,” for where one’s treasure is, there also will one’s heart be. Real treasure for Jesus is something that lasts, something that brings deep joy, and is the source of true happiness. A treasure that can easily decay or be stolen is no treasure at all. Joy, kindness, faith, generosity, love, and other virtues can be possessed by a person but cannot be taken away from her/him. They also last unto eternity. GOSPEL • MATTHEW 6:19-23 Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.” SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2021,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.