Fasting - When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.
The focus of the one fasting should be God, not self. It should be an act of faith. Jesus contrasted the difference between true piety and the professional piety of the Pharisees and told his disciples to disguise their acts of piety and not mimic the pseudo piety of the Pharisees (vv. 19-21).
Treasure in Heaven – 19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
You should not put your trust in the goods of the earth or become enslaved to the desire for such goods because they can be impediments to salvation (Mk. 10:17-22). Hoarded valuables can decay or be stolen. Whatever you value the most is where your greatest desire will be and you will be a slave to it. If your desire is set on God, then everything else will find its proper place. The foundation of your being must be sound for it is from there that your attitude and behavior are formed (vv. 19-21). Preoccupation with worldly goods means that your focus is not set on God (Mt. 22:37-38).
The Light of the Body – 22 The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; 23 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.
The ancients believed that the eye was the source of light within the body, the lamp of the body (v. 22). A sound eye guides the body and a sound mind (heart) guides the soul. The heart is able to discern clearly through a sound eye. If the eye is evil, then the body walks in darkness and we are unable to perceive things the way God wants us to perceive them. If we discern things correctly, then the results of our life will be good and pleasing to God (Mt. 5:16). Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (Jn. 8:12).” We must be able to discern in whose hands we can entrust our eternal future. Correct discernment will fill our whole being with light.
God and Money – 24 No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be (v. 21)” so one cannot serve two masters. We cannot be a slave to material goods and a servant of God at the same time. Serving God is the only way we can be truly free. We must be of one mind and heart when we serve God.
Almighty God, you created us out of love to serve you with joy and be free. In your mercy forget not that you created us in your image and teach us to discern what is true and good and pleasing to you. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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