Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (July 30, 2017): The treasures of God's kingdom.

Thứ Bảy, 29-07-2017 | 15:57:35

Today’s Readings:

1 Kings 3:5, 7-12
Ps 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130
Romans 8:28-30
Matthew 13:44-52
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/073017.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_07_30.mp3

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus said to his disciples:
“The kingdom of heaven is like 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.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like 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.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household
who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”

Good News Reflection:

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells us that the kingdom of God is like a buried treasure, a pearl purchased at all cost, and a net from which the bad catch of fish will be tossed away and the good catch will be valued.

In other words, our Christian lives are a huge cache of valuables. If our treasure chest has any worthless trash, the garbage needs to be tossed away to make room for more valuables. Some of our treasures have only temporary, earthly value, and ultimately they will be worthless unless they’re used for the kingdom of God.

The reading from Romans tells us that all things work together for the good of those who love God. As we purge our lives of false pearls and dead fish, we become more like our Lord. We become more useful to the kingdom of God. Even the bad things that happen to us, under the creative hand of our all-powerful, mercifully loving God, get put to good use as polishing cloths that brighten our pearls and bring out from us a better shine.

In the first reading, Solomon could have asked God for great wealth and he would have received it, but he asked for an understanding heart so that he’d have wisdom to rule the nation well. Even though he ruled imperfectly, his reputation as the wisest king on earth spread throughout the known world and he accumulated great wealth.

This is meant to teach us that when we seek first the treasures of God’s kingdom, then we can safely use the treasures of the earth, because God’s wisdom guides us in using them for the benefit of his kingdom. The more we love Christ and follow his ways, the easier it is to identify what’s really valuable, separate out the junk that does not belong to God, and use everything else for his purposes.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
What treasures are buried within you? What pearls of wisdom have you gained, and what did it cost you to learn these? Write a list of your many good qualities. How do they prove that the Lord’s presence is within you?

Questions for Community Faith Sharing:
Choose one treasure, gift, or pearl that God has given to you — something that reveals the kingdom of God. How did you discover it or gain it? What effect does it have on others?

Tags: Good News Reflection, Holy Gospel according to Matthew, Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, The treasures of God's kingdom, Year A