What we see and what we do

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer some reflection on the actions of people to do evil which is in great opposition to our moral and spiritual tradition. The passage from 2 Kings describes the slaughter of the royal family of Judah by Athaliah as a strategy to gain the throne. Friar Jude Winkler points out that this overthrow of the King of the southern kingdom of Judah is in opposition to the promise of God that a descendent of David would reign. The path of succession is maintained by the action of Jehosheba who conceals the heir from sight for many years, hidden in the House of the Lord, until the priest, Jehoiada, can arrange for his proclamation as King and the consequent killing of Athaliah as punishment for her crimes. During her time on the throne the observance of the practices of pagan religion had flourished. The return of a Davidic King brought the religious reform which reaffirmed the Covenant with God. The link of this text to the wisdom sayings in the Gospel today from Matthew is the warning to be aware of the link which we establish between what we treasure and the desire of our heart. We see and acquire things and relationships for the excitement or pleasure they bring to us. The slavery to possessions is a state into which God does not desire us to fall. Things are at the service of our mission. People are our mission. Our concern is for their full life. Our eyes as the mirror of the soul offer the great opportunity for communion with the lives of others through the expression of joy, delight, empathy and consolation. They also can lead us on paths focused on the satisfaction of our desire, our coveting and our addiction. The consequence of pursuit of the temptations we see may be disaster.