17th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
The Kingdom of Heaven is the opposite of the superfluous things the world offers, the opposite of a dull life: it is a treasure that renews everyday life and leads it to extend towards wider horizons said Pope Francis while explaining today’s gospel reading from the gospel of Saint Matthew 13:44-52. Jesus in our gospel reading today compares the kingdom of heaven to 'a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. And to a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.' Jesus used very concrete and natural examples which could be regarded as the greatest known treasures in his time to compare the kingdom of heaven, so as to draw the attention of his disciples to the greatest treasure they have and have never appreciated or preserved.
What is the greatest treasure you have as a Catholic Christian today? Monsignor Arthur Tonne writing on today’s gospel reading wrote that the treasure or the pearl of great price Jesus was talking about in these two parables, is our faith in God, which makes us members of the kingdom of heaven. So if our faith in God is the greatest treasure we have as Christians and since Faith in God is our belief, confidence or trust in God without evidence, how are we strengthening and preserving this great treasure? Is our faith in God really the opposite of the superfluous treasures the world offers? Do we renew our faith everyday and does it lead us closer to God?
My dear brothers and sisters, to deepen, nourish and strengthen our faith in God, we need to imitate the two men in the first two parables given us in today’s gospel reading by giving up and sacrificing all the superfluous things the world offers us and concentrating only on the gift of faith given us by Prayer, Perseverance and Patience. Let us Pray tirelessly, Persevere relentless and Patiently walk closer to God. Amen!
