The Search For A True Treasure

30-07-2017 HOMILY FOR THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.

SCRIPTURAL READING:

1. 1 Kgs 3:5.7-19.

Ps. 119:57. 72.76-77.127-128.129-130. (R.97a).

1. Rom. 8:28-30; Accl; Matt. 11:25.
2. Gospel Matt.13:44-52 OR Matt. 13:44-46.

Preamble:

Dear friends please repeat these words after me;

Stay with me Lord Jesus, as I give you my mind, may your word never depart from me.

Stay with me Lord Jesus, as I give you my ears, help me listen and obey your voice.

Stay with me Lord Jesus, as I give you my heart, help me welcome you always.

Holy Spirit, rekindle in me the fire of your love. Amen.

THEME: THE SEARCH FOR A TRUE TREASURE.

The parable of Jesus today might sound strange to us but not so for those in the Middle East. The parable describes what is so natural to people in Palestine in the days of Jesus, and even to this day it paints a picture which people in the East would know well.

William Barclay gives a brief background to understanding the parable of Jesus in todays Gospel passage. In the ancient world, there were banks but not banks such as ordinary people could use. Ordinary people used the ground as the safest place to keep their most cherished belonging. In the Gospel of Matthew 25:25 the parable of the talents the worthless servant hid his talent in the ground, lest he should lose it. In fact, there was a rabbinic saying that there was only one safe place for money and that is the earth.

This was still more the case in a land where a man’s garden might at any time become a battlefield. Palestine was probably the most fought over country in the world; and, when the tide of war threatened to flow over them, it was common practice for people to hide their valuables in the ground, before they took to flight, in the hope that the day would come when they could return and regain them. The sad news is that in worst case scenario, they never return to reclaim the valuable they had kept in the ground either because the war has endured for a long time, the area may have been destroyed by missals hence has become untraceable, or someone may have stolen it.

However, there are people who make it their life’s business to search for hidden treasures, such persons are filled with great excitement that they have been known to faint at the discovery of one single coin. When Jesus told this story, he told the kind of story that anyone would recognize in Palestine and in the east generally.

It may be thought that in this parable Jesus glorifies a man who was guilty of very sharp practice in that he hid the treasure, and then took steps to possess himself of it. There are two things to be said about that. On the one hand, although Palestine in the time of Jesus was under Roman law, in the ordinary, small, day to day things it was traditional Jewish Law which was used; and in regard to hidden treasure Jewish Rabbinic Law was quite clear: “What finds belong to the finder, and what finds must one cause to be proclaimed? These finds belong to the finder-if a man finds scattered fruit, scattered money… these belong to the finder.” So, in actual fact this man had a prior right to what he had found.

Second, the parable has one main point, and to that point everything else is contained. In the parable, the great point is the joy of the discovery that made the man willing to give up everything to make the treasure permanently his own.

The lesson of this parable is, first, that the man found the precious thing, not so much by chance, as in his day’s work. It is true to say that he stumbled all unexpectedly upon it, but he did so when he was going about his daily business. And it is legitimate to infer that he must have been going about his daily business with diligence and efficiency, because he must have been digging deep, and not merely scrapping the surface, in order to strike against the treasure

We must know that true happiness, true satisfaction, the sense of God, the presence of Christ are all to be found in the day’s work, when that day’s work is honestly and conscientiously done. Brother Lawrence of the resurrection, a great saint and mystic, spent much of his working life in the monastery kitchen amidst the dirty dishes, and he could say, “I felt Jesus Christ as close to me in the kitchen as ever I did at the Blessed Sacrament.”

2. The second lesson of this parable is, it is worth any sacrifice to enter the kingdom. We ask, what does it mean to enter the kingdom? To enter the kingdom means to accept and to do God’s will. So, then, it is worth anything to do God’s will. The man in the parable did everything to possess that treasure so for us, possessing God’s will means abandoning anything whatsoever that would stand as an obstacle to possessing it. To accept God’s will may be to give up certain aims and ambitions which are very dear, to abandon certain habits and ways of life which are very difficult to lay down, to take on a discipline and self-denial which are by no means easy, in a word, to take up our cross and follow after Jesus. But there is no other way to peace of mind and heart in this life and to glory in the life to come. It is indeed worth giving up everything to accept and to do the will of God.

Solomon in the first reading of today prayed and sort after an understanding heart which will enable him to rule well. He asked for an understanding heart because it is a treasure worth more than anything such as riches.

The benefits of an understanding heart (wisdom)

1. An understanding heart which is wisdom helps one get a clear guidance from God. Wisdom is the capacity to see things from God’s perspective and respond according to scriptural principles. Those who walk in wisdom receive the father’s direction for their lives. While God’s children go through some terrible situations in life, they spared many mistakes because God is the best teacher to guide them and help them to make fresh starts.

Proverbs 3:5-6-“trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.”

Proverbs 3:21-26-“hold on to your wisdom and insight, my son. Never let them get away from you. They will provide you with life-pleasant and happy life. you can go safely on your way and never even stumble. You will not be afraid when you go to bed, and you will sleep soundly through the night. You will not have to worry about sudden disasters, such as come on the wicked like a storm. The Lord will keep you safe. He will not let you fall into a trap.”

When we walk in divine wisdom, we can rest assured that the Lord is with us always.

1. It will bring us God’s Divine Protection

Wisdom protects us from evil-proverbs 14:16 says “wise people are careful to stay out of trouble, but stupid people are careless and act too quickly.”

Wisdom protects us from people who entice us to do evil. Any person who tempts you to sin is not a friend. He or she wants to lead you into a situation that will ultimately cause you loss or harm. Proverbs 2:10-19 “when sinners tempt you, my son, don’t give in. suppose they say, “come on; let’s find someone to kill! Let’s attack some innocent people for the fun of it! They may be alive and well when we find them, but they will be dead when we are through with them! We will find all kinds of riches and fill our houses with loot! Come and join us, and we will all share what we steal. Don’t go with people like that, my son. Stay away from them. They can’t wait to do something bad. They are always ready to kill. It does no good to spread a net when the bird you want to catch is watching, but men like that are setting a trap for themselves, a trap in which they will die. Robbery always claims the life of the robber-this is what happens to anyone who lives by violence.””

Wisdom saves us from misleading emotions-proverbs 28:26 “it is foolish to follow your own opinions. Be safe, and follow the teachings of wiser people.”

1. It gives a Good self-image: because we are created in the image and likeness of God, we are so important to God and that is why the father loves us, values us, and desires a close relationship with us. He has a specific plan for each one of us and this should give us confidence and a good self-image.

Proverbs 8:32-35-“now, young men, listen to me. Do as I say, and you will be happy. Listen to what you are taught. Be wise; do not neglect it. The man who listens to me will be happy-the man who stays at my door every day, waiting at the entrance of my home. The man who finds me finds life, and the lord will be pleased with him. The man who does not find me hurts himself; anyone who hates me loves death.”

1. Wisdom gives prosperity. Proverbs 10:22-“it is the Lord’s blessing that makes you wealthy. Hard work can make you no richer.”
2. Wisdom gives good health and long life.- it saves us from many difficulties in this life. it equips us to handle difficult circumstances and positions us to receive eternal rewards. Proverbs 3:7-8 says “never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong. If you do, it will be like good medicine, healing your wounds and easing your pains.”

Beloved in christ, these benefits of wisdom which are indeed true and lasting treasure for life can be the blessing of anyone who walks steadily with the Lord. The second reading of today says it all when he says all things work together unto good for they who believe. I pray this day and always that we may seek above all else the wisdom that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord and not the foolish wisdom of the world. may our blessed mother who is the seat of wisdom intercede for us and obtain for us great wisdom to carry on with our day to day life this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.