Scripture reflection for June 20,2008

Scripture: 11th week, Friday, June 20, 2008. II Kings 11:1-4,9-18,20.
Psalm 132: 11.12.13-14,17-18. Matthew 6:19-23. Lectionary # 369:

With the beatitudes as our blueprint for life, we turn to them each
time we read the sermons of Jesus in order to have a key toward
interpreting the intention of Jesus in the cluster of sayings handed down
to us by St. Matthew. Since they are situated at the very beginning of the
Sermon on the Mount they act like a showcase for the multiple sayings
elsewhere. Today gives us a precious example of this way of looking at the
sermons.
The beatitude that explains the imagery of Jesus' sayings today is
the sixth which says, "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see
God."
Jesus is telling us that where our treasure is, there is your heart." We
are to have God and God's Son as the center of our heart and to give
undivided attention to the Creator. If that is the treasure of our heart,
then we will experience God and as some have like Therese of Liseux will
see God. This treasure means having a singlemindedness about our love for
others so that they are loved within the love of God. We this in our minds
and hearts then we will live in the light of God and have no darkness about
us. Even our struggles, temptations, and sins are overcome when we return
to the true center of our heart and begin to see things in the light of
God. We need to simply turn back to God and away from the darkness in
order to continue on the journey with the happiness that the beatitudes
infuse in us. The treasure is not earthly but heavenly. We have come from
God's creative love and return to God through God's creative redemptive
love. The beatitudes help us to be creative agents of God's love in our
daily lives. Such a treasure is not corroded by rust or bothered by moths
as Jesus tells us. We may wish to have as our companion in all of the
beatitudes the mother of Jesus, Mary of Nazareth, who is a beatitude in
action by her love for the center of her life-- God and God's son. St
Irenaeus has this to say about our beatitude: "Blessed are the pure of
heart, for they shall see God." It is true because of the greatness and
inexpressible glory of God, that "we shall not see me and live," for the
Father cannot be grasped. But because God's love and goodness toward us,
and because God can do all things; God goes so far as to grant those who
love God the privilege of seeing God... " For what is impossible for us is
possible for God." Amen.