Access daily Mass readings, meditations and articles, as well as special resources, by becoming a subscriber or logging in. Subscribers: Please log in to view the Mass readings. Not a subscriber? Subscribe for only $12 (Save $4). Ahab went home disturbed and angry. (1 Kings 21:4) Ahab was truly blessed! As ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel, he had access to countless riches—but he desired more. He longed to own a vineyard that was conveniently located right next to his palace. But it belonged to a man named Naboth. To Ahab, it was prime real estate, but to Naboth, it was much more than that. It was his “ancestral heritage,” and as such, he was not permitted to sell it (1 Kings 21:3; Leviticus 25:23). So Naboth refused Ahab’s request. Ahab should have known that he was asking for something forbidden by the Law of Moses, but covetousness clouded his thinking. He became so embittered that he took to his bed, stared at the wall, and even refused to eat. All this over a vineyard! Look at how things escalated. First, Ahab saw a fruitful vineyard right next door, and he began to desire it. That desire led to an illegal request that Naboth sell it to him. With Naboth’s righteous refusal, Ahab became obsessed. His desire led to underhanded schemes, which led to murder, which ultimately led to Ahab’s downfall. We can head down a similar path when we allow our own fallen desires to lead us to envy, covetousness, and greed. The path may not lead to physical death as it did for Ahab, but it can lead to a kind of spiritual death. So how do we deal with the temptation to covet “anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17)? By shifting our gaze. The more we focus on “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,” the more our hearts will be shielded from unjust and dishonorable desires like greed and envy (Philippians 4:8). Similarly, the more we fix our eyes on Jesus—who generously surrendered his life for us—the more we’ll long for his Spirit to lift us up and heal those desires. Today, try to keep a running list of the good, the true, and the Christlike thoughts that arise in your heart—as well as the Christlike people you come across. Then, at the end of the day, read over your list. Let the truths of God’s goodness that you see in that list convince you that Jesus is your greatest treasure! “Lord, heal me of all envy and covetousness!”
11th Week in Ordinary Time
DAILY MASS READINGS AVAILABLE WITH A SUBSCRIPTION
Daily Meditation: 1 Kings 21:1-16
Psalm 5:2-7
Matthew 5:38-42