2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20 / Matthew 6:19:23
Whether it is surprising or not, there are people who would go to great lengths and would even resort to abominable acts just to be in authority and to have power.
But when they start committing atrocities and putting people to death just to be in authority and in power then it is certainly too much to comprehend and certainly too serious a matter to look away.
But history has also shown us that those who kill by the sword will die by the sword, and even more so for those who kill the defenseless.
In the 1st reading, we heard that when Althaliah learned that her son, king Ahaziah was dead, she promptly did away with all those of royal stock by murdering them.
It only goes to show that she was so obsessed with power that she would resort to killing anyone in her way. The darkness of her obsession had enveloped her whole being. And in the end it was the darkness that consumed her life.
In the gospel, Jesus teaches us not to store up treasures for ourselves on earth, where moths and woodworms destroy and thieves can break in and steal.
But whether it is treasures, or power, or fame, or status, an unchecked obsession with these will lead us into a darkness that will blind us to what is right.
And we will even think that doing wrong is the best way to hold on to our obsessions and in the end our obsessions will consume us as we realize too late that our earthly treasures will only fade away sooner or later.
Let us turn to the Lord Jesus and ask that He shines His light on us so that we will be able to look beyond the earthly and find our true treasure in the eternity.