Daily Readings - Fri Jun 20 2025
2 Corinthians
18Since so many glory according to the flesh, I will glory also21I speak according to disgrace, as if we had been weak in this regard. In this matter, (I speak in foolishness) if anyone dares, I dare also22They are Hebrews; so am I. They are Israelites; so am I. They are the offspring of Abraham; so am I23They are the ministers of Christ (I speak as if I were less wise); more so am I: with many more labors, with numerous imprisonments, with wounds beyond measure, with frequent mortifications24On five occasions, I received forty stripes, less one, from the Jews25Three times, I was beaten with rods. One time, I was stoned. Three times, I was shipwrecked. For a night and a day, I was in the depths of the sea26I have made frequent journeys, through dangerous waters, in danger of robbers, in danger from my own nation, in danger from the Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the wilderness, in danger in the sea, in danger from false brothers27with hardships and difficulties, with much vigilance, in hunger and thirst, with frequent fasts, in cold and nakedness28and, in addition to these things, which are external: there is my daily earnestness and solicitude for all the churches29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I am not being burned30If it is necessary to glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weaknesses
Matthew
19Do not choose to store up for yourselves treasures on earth: where rust and moth consume, and where thieves break in and steal20Instead, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither rust nor moth consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal21For where your treasure is, there also is your heart22The lamp of your body is your eye. If your eye is wholesome, your entire body will be filled with light23But if your eye has been corrupted, your entire body will be darkened. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great will that darkness be
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of true wealth and the cost of discipleship. In the first reading from 2 Corinthians, St. Paul lists the many trials and sufferings he endured for the sake of the Gospel. He speaks of imprisonments, beatings, shipwrecks, and countless other hardships, all of which he bore patiently for the sake of the churches under his care. This passage is not a boast but a testament to Paul’s unwavering commitment to Christ and his mission. He emphasizes that true strength lies not in worldly power or comfort but in enduring suffering for the sake of the Kingdom.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the fleeting nature of earthly treasures. He warns against storing up riches on earth, where they can be corrupted or stolen, and instead encourages us to accumulate treasures in heaven. Jesus then connects this teaching to the state of our hearts, using the metaphor of the eye as the lamp of the body. If our vision is clear and pure, our entire being will be filled with light; but if our vision is corrupted by selfishness or greed, our whole life will be shrouded in darkness. This teaching challenges us to examine where our hearts are truly invested.
Both readings call us to reevaluate our priorities and detach ourselves from the allure of worldly wealth and status. Paul’s suffering reminds us that following Christ often requires sacrifice and perseverance, while Jesus’ teaching on treasures in heaven urges us to focus on what truly lasts. In our daily lives, we are invited to ask ourselves: Where is my heart? Am I chasing after things that will fade, or am I building up treasures that will endure forever? Let us strive to live with integrity, generosity, and a gaze fixed on eternal truths, so that our lives may shine with the light of Christ.