Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Friday of the eleventh week in ordinary time, June 19th, 2026

Delivered by Celine from the Parish of Santo Marinus Yohanes in the Diocese of Surabaya, Indonesia. 2 Kings 11: 1-4.9-18.20; Rs psalm 132: 11-12.13-14.17-18; Matthew 6: 19-23.HEART'S DIRECTION The theme for our meditation today is: Heart’s Direction.Miracles that happen in our lives cannot be separated from our prayers. Webenefit goodness and comfort to our bodies and souls because we have intendedto pray for them. Through prayers and relationship with God, we truly enjoy thedirection or orientation of our hearts to God. A prayer made without beingdirected from the heart, mind, and love of God will surely be a misleading and empty prayer. A prayer needs time, place and situation that constituteits support system. However, the way or direction of heart is a fundamentalelement that signify the quality of our prayer. A direction of heart can goanywhere following each one’s desire. We commonly know that our attentioneasily leads our hearts to the wealth of the world. For example, there is ayoung man so obsessed with the Soccer World Cup that is going on this month of June. Whenhe was attending the holy Mass last Sunday, all his attention went to the playof his favorite team which he so expected to win. The Holy Mass was actuallymeaningless to him at that time. This is truly an example of the direction of the heart toGod. Our heart can easily change its direction to events and pleasures of thisworld. Today, the Word of God reminds us that the wealth and things of theworld often become the serious threats to the peace of our minds and hearts. Wewill be easily carried away and consumed by the desire to continue seeking,obtaining and having them. Many of us think that once we have those wealth, wewill be in peace and happinessof life. Jesus always says that this way of life is foolishness andenslavement. Actually, we need possessions, money, and various interests ofthis world, but they should not block our heart's direction to God. All ourpossessions in the world will not accompany us after our death. Whereas, theheavenly richness must attract all our attention and direction. In today’sproclamation of the Word, God wants to open our hearts, minds and wills toacquire as many as possible the heavenly treasures. Our heavenly treasures cannot be put in a bank like moneyand other treasures of the world. Anything can happen to the bank and thosetreasures would be lost. However, the heavenly treasures such as spirituallife, relationship with God, heavenly wisdom, spirit of service and love thatbelong to the Kingdom of God, will not be lost. They are the treasures thatwill accompany us after our death. If you were asked: where is your treasure?Or where is the direction of your heart? As a follower of Christ, your answershould be this one: the heavenly treasures. The event of the destruction ofBaal's power told in the first reading today strengthens our belief that thekingdom of God that stands steadyand strongin the world must be able to maintain our heavenly richness in the world. Let'spray. In the name of the Father... Almighty God, may our hearts always turn toYou and finally rest in You forever and ever. Hail Mary, full of grace... Inthe name of the Father...