You would think that the goings on in the first reading today was the plot of a modern day TV show: the drama, the murder, the concealments, the revenge, the oaths taken in the name of the Lord and the preservation of a line of descendants.
What is actually going on here is the unfolding of God's promise to King David – a promise from which he will never withdraw: Your own offspring I will put upon your throne…His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon him my crown shall shine! God is always faithful to his promises!
The greatest thing that God has promised each of us is FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS, and ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN if we choose to live the life of beatitude now, the life composed on the 'transformation of opposites' that is effective because of the death and resurrection of Jesus – the primary and preeminent descendant of David! Jesus is The King of Kings! He is The King of Peace! He is The King of Mercy! The poor are blessed! The lowly are raised up! Those who mourn for their sins are comforted! Those who are persecuted for their membership in Christ are rewarded with eternal life! TAKE UP YOUR CROSS, Jesus tells us, AS I DID MINE – and you will share in the newness of life that the Spirit will give!
Believing this is the same as storing treasure in heaven! Earthly treasures will only corrode and decay and be subject to stealing and destruction – but a heavenly treasure: a deep desire to live life fully in Christ Jesus will merit an amazing reward! God promises! and he always keeps his promises!
A very simple way we can tell if our treasure is where it is supposed to be is by looking at ourselves in a mirror! If our eyes are clear and bright – then we are filled with the Holy Spirit and our treasure is in heaven; if our eyes are dull and sad then perhaps our treasure is only on earth: we are weighed down by unnecessary concerns and we are being deprived of what is God's gift by our own lack of cooperation!
Today let us choose to let God possess us completely – and thus may our thoughts, words and actions show that we appreciate what he is doing and that we do cooperate with him as completely as we can both in making this a better world, and in preparing this world for its completion when Christ comes again!
Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
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