The Most Important Treasure. 17th Sunday Year A

 

Sunday Breakfast With The Word 17th Sunday Ordinary Time of the Year A

 

First Kings 3:5, 7-12, 2, Romans 8:28-30, Matthew 13:44-52

 

 

 A treasure is something or somebody that is valuable. The English word treasure comes from the Old French Tresor, both meaning “something of great worth”. It can be in the form of wealth or riches. 

There are many types of treasures but among them, there is the one most important and valuable. Sometimes this treasure is hidden and revealed only to those who look for it or ask for it. Sometimes we neglect this Treasure because it is not earthly but spiritual.

 Life is full of choices, we choose to do good or bad. We choose to remain positive or negative, and we choose to love God or not. We choose to centre our attention on earthly or heavenly treasures. 

Many only concentrate on acquiring earthly treasure while neglecting the most important treasure.

Sometimes we go to many extremes to achieve this but hardly sacrifice even a little to acquire the most important treasure. 

 Man sometimes believes in the things he can see and touch and forgets the spiritual. Scripture says “Seek you first the kingdom of God and other things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33). 

The heart that seeks this most important treasure gets every other thing in its fullness. Solomon despises every other worldly acquisition to seek this most important treasure in today’s reading. 

 

In the gospel, Jesus employs many parables to explain the importance, necessity and value of seeking first the kingdom of God which is the most cardinal and foremost of every treasure ever.

 

Solomon’s Request

 

At Gibeon when God appears to Solomon in a dream and requests that He ask whatever he would like and it would be given to Him.

God says ‘Ask what you would like me to give you”. First statement that Solomon made was “Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in succession to David my father”.

 

1. Here, Solomon recognizes that first and foremost, that what He is, is not by His power nor by his height. It is neither because David loved her mother so much nor because other sons of David made one mistake or the other.

These happened but Solomon still attributes whatever he is, to the power of God. This is unlike what we see today. 

Today, we find it more fun and easier to think that everything we have is by our power or effort.

In 1 Corinthian 4:7, Paul says “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

Many today abandon God and turn against their faith because of the little treasure God gives to them. When some of us think that they have arrived, they lose faith and abandon God. 

Many in top positions today think they are there because of their strength and intelligence but forget that there are others that are greater than them but are not where they are.

The treasure that God gives us is not for us to lose the most important treasure, but to use them for the glory of God’s kingdom.

 

2. Solomon responds to God saying “But I am a little child and highly unskilled in leadership. Solomon’s age when he became king was not documented but no matter his age, we see in Him someone who wants to depend on God to see him through.

 

Here, he takes God as the shepherd, while he is only a sheep following God in great humility, seeking first the presence of God, relying only on the power and grace of God.

 

3. Solomon in his free will and choice, made a request that baffled God. Solomon’s request was just for an understanding of the heart to discern between good and evil. 

 

He did not rely on his academic knowledge to do the function given to him, he did not rely on his human power, he relied on the wisdom that comes from God alone. Solomon already understood that a key component of leadership is wise and just discernment. He knows that this can only be possible if it is through God, thus the wisdom that comes from God is the best.

 

4. Solomon gave God the first place in His life. Because his request depicts a man that has the interests of the people at heart rather than selfish desires because he sees the wisdom that comes from God as the first. 

 

Because He sought the presence of God first, God gave him what he asked for and what he did not ask for, even riches, and honour were added. 

 

God gave him much wisdom that there is no one more wise than Solomon as God promised him (1 Kings 3:12).

5. The only one who is greater than Solomon is the Wisdom of God incarnate, Wisdom par excellence, the Word made flesh (Matthew 12:42) Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

Even after this encounter, Solomon did not boast of what he has, but like the Blessed Virgin Mary, who sang the Magnificat, giving God all glory ( Luke 1:46:55).

 

 Solomon returned immediately to Jerusalem and went to the presence of God and offered burnt and peace offerings (1 Kings 3:15). The secret here is that God was given the supreme position in the life of Solomon.

 

6. If most of us were in Solomon’s condition, we would have asked to be the greatest person ever, the most prominent, to ride the best cars, build the best houses, sell the best products, and even kill our enemies and make others worship us.

 

 These selfish desires are what are killing us today. Solomon requested rather for a spiritual gift than a material gift and God gave him both the spiritual and material. Though later he derailed.

 

The Hidden Treasure.

 

In the gospel, Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a hidden treasure in a field, which someone has found, hides it again, goes away with joy and sells everything he has and buys the field.

 

1. The pointer here is that the true knowledge of the Kingdom is hidden and not made easily accessible to anyone. Only those who seek it will find it. In Matthew 11:25, Jesus thanks the Father for hiding these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

 

2. Three things are revealed in this parable; there is discovery, there is joy and there is action. 

The secrets and mysteries of the true knowledge of God are for the few who seek God with all their hearts. 

 

If we seek Him, we shall find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). This discovery becomes a source of joy, a source of hope, that one considers as the best that has ever happened in his life. 

 

3. The best thing that will happen to any soul is to find God and allow Him to reign in our hearts. In the gospel, immediately the person discovers the hidden pearl, hides it again, goes away with joy and sells everything he has and buys the field. 

 

This indicates that seeking God should be the first and most preferred for all. To find God gives joy. For when we find Him when we discover the secrets about Him.

It is worth more than every other thing we have in life. Like the person in the parable, it gives joy when a soul is so close to God. To find God gives enormous joy to the soul.

This is the implication of Solomon’s request.

 

 

The Merchant of Great Pearls.

 

 

In another parable, Jesus compares the kingdom of Heaven to a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.

1. Like the hidden treasure, there is the desire to seek this treasure, there is discovery, and among the pearls, there is one of great value. 

There is also sacrifice to acquire this great treasure and then action.

 Both parables of Hidden Treasure and The Pearl have to do with objects of great value and sacrifice. We must be ready to seek and find this hidden treasure by all means. 

This gives us the steps we have to undertake in every spiritual journey. We must have that sincere desire.

We must sacrifice our time, resources, energy and strength and when we seek God wholeheartedly, we shall find Him. 

In Matthew 16:24, Jesus says to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 

Relationship with God is the best and the highest journey one must decide to undertake and this journey is not without sacrifices, but in the end, we will not regret ever doing that. 

 

2. Like one who is on a quest to find the greatest value to human life, trying to find a way of survival, trying to find the secret of life, there are many pearls out there that promise to give meaning to life but out of them all lies hidden the most important and finest pearl. Finding this will be a life changer. This is a true and total encounter with God.

 

3. This discovery gives joy. There is this joy that lives in any soul that has truly found God. The journey to this discovery requires commitment and sacrifice. Those who find God are blessed.

 

 They are like the disciples, who left everything to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:18-22; Matthew 19:27-30) and Paul, who regarded all else as loss “for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord” (Phil. 3:8). 

They are like Solomon who considers the wisdom that comes from God as the most important thing He ever needs.

 

4. We are called to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, Seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness is the greatest treasure that is greater than all other things.

This is true knowledge of God, understanding His nature and salvific work through Jesus Christ and giving him the chance to reign in everything we do.

 

 Knowledge of God is a mystery that is beyond every academic knowledge. It is freely given by God to those who love Him and spend their lives looking for Him. It is the secret and source of wisdom.

 

5. We are like the merchant-man, sent into the world not just to seek earthly treasure but to know God, love and worship Him. Seeking Him with all our hearts. He who finds God should consider Himself lucky.

 

The Dragnet

 

Finally, Jesus compares the kingdom of Heaven to a dragnet that is cast into the sea and brings in a haul of all kinds of fish. 

When it is full, the fishermen will collect the good ones in the baskets and throw away those that are of no use.

1. This parable is like the parable of the wheat and tares. It indicates that there is joy, salvation and vindication for the righteous at the end.

2. It is also a pointer that there must be judgement at last and only the good will be saved. The end will never be good for the wicked. Whatever we think we do at present, whatever we think we do in secret, we should not forget that there is a day of reckoning.

 

The Disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven 

 

Jesus compares the disciple of the kingdom of heaven to a householder, who first of all has a storehouse where he brings in both the new and the old. 

The disciple of such has a storehouse of knowledge and is blessed with wisdom and knowledge.

 Like the scribes, he teaches with authority and the right understanding of God and the law. He is always full of inspiration, and he does not lack what to say or teach. 

When we are filled with divine knowledge, we are filled with wisdom. We have a storehouse of knowledge where we can always draw our inspiration to touch lives.

 It is from this storehouse that Solomon became the wisest of all. It is from this storehouse that the apostles were able to touch thousands of souls after the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, knowing fully well that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is knowledge.

 From this storehouse, we know what to say and when to say it. From this storehouse, we choose words that can touch thousands of souls. The point here is that seeking God is also seeking the highest treasure. 

When we seek God with all our hearts, we seek salvation, wisdom and gifts of the Spirit of God. Our lives can never be the same when we devote our lives to a total relationship with God. When we seek God with all our hearts, we shall surely find Him. 

 

 

The Highest Value and the Reasons to Aspire for It.

 

In the first two parables, Jesus shows us that the highest value we should aspire for is that of the Kingdom of Heaven. You know he began those parables by saying that “the Kingdom of heaven is like…”

Therefore, Jesus is teaching us that the highest value we must acquire and seek to aspire to is the kingdom of heaven. The point here too is that Jesus is the way. In John 14:6, Jesus says “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

Therefore, the way to the Kingdom is through Jesus. Jesus is the Most Important Treasure, we must seek to acquire. 

There are reasons we must aspire to acquire the most important treasure, which we shall take from the parables. They are:

 

 

1. Everything is in Abundance: The first parable talks about a hidden treasure which someone finds. When you find the meaning of treasure, it means a quantity of precious metals, gems, or other valuable objects. 

Therefore, it is not just one thing but a treasure of many valuables. Treasure indicates money, jewels, gold, silver and precious metals, stored up or hoarded. 

Therefore to be close to Jesus is closeness to an abundance of mercy, graces, wisdom, healing, salvation etc. Treasure means an abundance of gifts. To have Jesus is to have everything in abundance. 

 

 

2. The Most Beautiful Discovery: Again, Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; Pearls are so precious and beautiful to behold to the eyes. The pearl indicates the beauty of God’s Kingdom.

 

3. Intimacy With God: In the second reading, Paul says that God co-operates with all those who love him, with all those he has called according to his purpose. Through this closeness with God, He turns everything to their good. He justifies those who He has called. Intimacy with God is the source of enormous grace. We have to aspire to this with all our hearts.

 

 

Conclusion

 

1. Wisdom is a gift from God and greater than any academic knowledge. Gifts are given, only those who look for them can find them. Through this gift, we can do great things because what lies within us then is not ordinary but supernatural. 

2. We can acquire this great gift if we sincerely spend time with God. We can be blessed with enormous gifts when we develop the attitude of coming to God’s presence.

 It was in the presence of God at Gibeon, where He went to offer sacrifice that God appeared to Solomon. (1 Kings 3:4). But we hardly spend time with God and can only boast of academic knowledge. 

If we spend time and read the lives of the saints, we will find out that none of them despised visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, but today we believe that Jesus is the Blessed Sacrament but we do not have a single time to visit that Jesus, what a sign of lack of faith.

In the presence of God, there is fullness of Joy and liberty (Psalms 16:11).

 

3. In the first reading, Solomon asks for an understanding of the heart and wisdom to guide his people.

God blesses Him with wisdom, but guess what? Jesus is the Word of God made flesh (John 1:14). He is the wisdom of God incarnate. He told His disciples in Matthew 12;42, that He who is greater than Solomon is here.

Therefore, the most important treasure that anyone can have is Jesus Christ. 

He says in Matthew 7:11 “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give His spirit to those who ask Him’. 

Through Jesus, the Holy Spirit came and transformed the lives of the apostles. A life in Jesus is a life already transformed. He is the wisdom par excellence. He gives these gifts also to those who come to Him.

But this Jesus is neglected and abandoned by the same people that claimed to love Him. We can go to any extent to be popular and make money, but we cannot sacrifice a little moment with God. What a misnomer!

 

4. To know Jesus is to know the Father, everything is only through Him. Thomas asked Jesus, 

“We do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well. (John 14:5-7). 

The highest discovery is the soul who has truly found God and allows Him to reign in everything He does. 

Like Solomon, we have to know that whatever we have is given to us by God. When we have God, when we are blessed with his spiritual gifts, every other thing becomes secondary.

 

5. The problem is that we forget that we did not create ourselves. We forget we did not come into the world on our human accord. Also, we forget that we are here on a mission. We forget these and think that we will live here forever. 

A man enters the world and forgets his limited nature to pursue shadows, and spends his life acquiring earthly treasure only but forgets the most important treasure. At the end of his life, he then realises his greatest mistake. 

In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus says “Do not store yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth. and rust will corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust will corrupt, but guess what? Man does the opposite. 

Man neglects God and can go to any extent to appear important. In the end, everything becomes vanity upon vanity.

 

6. Like the parable of the dragnet, there must be an end to everyone and judgement awaits all. We refuse to pay attention and think we have a longer number of years to live.

We take care of the body and abandon the soul but at last, the body decays and the soul that we neglect continues its life journey. 

Just as we can do anything to acquire earthly treasure, let us not forget the most important treasure. We need the most important treasure. We need Jesus, the world needs Jesus, you need Jesus. 

In John 15:5, Jesus says cut off from me, you can do nothing. Jesus is the source of grace, the storehouse of wisdom and knowledge, the power against the kingdoms of darkness, the source of mercy and spiritual strength and the way to eternal life.  

Without Him, we are nothing. To have this important treasure, we must desire Him, long for Him, seek Him with all our hearts, and sacrifice whatever that will make us not to have this treasure. Nothing must stay in between. Jesus is the greatest of all. 

So stay faithful, remain inspired and be blessed. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.

 

May God bless you dearest and give you the grace to live by His words. May Your week be blessed. Amen.