Saturday, July 26, 2014

17TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)

1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12; Rom 8:28-30; Mt 13:44-52

The gospel today gives us two short parables about the kingdom of heaven. The first one is about a person who, after finding a treasure buried in a field, sold everything he had in order to buy the field and take possession of the treasure. The second is about a merchant who, after discovering a pearl of great price, sold all he had in order to purchase the precious pearl.

“Parables are earthly stories with heavenly meanings.” What are the lessons that we can learn from the parables we just read?

First of all, we should not think that the parables are asking us to buy the kingdom of heaven with our money. The kingdom of God is priceless and is to be given free to those who are found worthy. An evil person cannot enter heaven even if he has all the money in the world. To get into heaven, a person needs only the riches of his heart – like gentleness, generosity, compassion, and mercy.

The most important lesson of the parables is this: the kingdom of God must be first in all our priorities. The person who wishes to be in heaven or to enjoy life with God must be ready to lose everything for it. If we choose God in our life, we must be willing to let go of other treasures that we enjoy possessing. “God may well be taken as a substitute for everything; but nothing can be taken as a substitute for God.” The kingdom is more valuable than all the riches in the world: “For what does it profit to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” This is an important reminder for all because many of us have misguided priorities in life.

If we are given the choice, what do we prefer: gold, glory or God? It is easy to say that we prefer “God” in our lives, but sadly, this is not what we see in people’s priorities today. Often, the desire for wealth and honor would push people to spend their precious time for work and business only. The prevailing culture suggest that to be happy, one must have more and achieve more. Hence, people are willing to sacrifice their time for the family in order to earn more money. Many also are ready to surrender their Christian principles and values just to keep their fame and glory.

The well-known story of Solomon should inspire us all. In a dream, God offered to give him the one thing that he wanted. Being young, Solomon could have asked for wealth or glory or long life.  But realizing the great task ahead of him, Solomon thought that what he really needed was the wisdom to rule his people well in the ways of God. Wisdom or God’s inspiration is what Solomon asked. And God was so pleased with Solomon and He promised him more than the gift of wisdom, including riches, glory and long life. The song we always love to sing is right: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all good things shall be added unto you.”


Mother Teresa of Calcutta and John Paul II both died leaving no property, for they had not accumulated treasures on earth.  They found their treasure in a life given totally to the service of God and of the Church. The parables are true: Those who discover the treasure of the kingdom will be happy to let go of everything to follow and be close to Jesus.