Treasure Trove

Today’s Gospel Text:  "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matt 13:44-46

Reflection: Let’s understand the first of the two parables, which compares the Kingdom of heaven to a treasure hidden in a field.

From what is said in comparison, we see the kingdom of heaven as not something that we have or posses. It is not something that we can arrive at or build on our own wisdom.

It is something that has to be discovered or found; how can we discover and find what is covered?

What the parable does talk about is that this Kingdom is to be found, not in ourselves, as deceivers would have us believe, by even wrongly quoting a text of the Bible; “For lo, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:21 Douay-Rheims

But it is a kingdom which is first found external to ourselves and then made ones own.  Once discovered, we realize that it is something that we are capable of perceiving as being of a far greater value than all our strivings and efforts.

It is something, that once we see it or behold, it will fill us with a joy to give up everything in order to possess it. In other words it gives us joy and yet is greater than our joy, lest we remain satisfied with our joy and lose out on that treasure of the kingdom.

It is something that will lead us to a concrete action, or a praxis of first wanting to have it, by giving up all that we have seen as important in our lives; whether wealth or fame or power or possessions or vast field of expertise or knowledge or idea or ideologies or spiritualities or experiences or our pet projects or innovations.

May be for the many of us reading this, it is a challenge to check whether we fit in with this aspect of the truth, that the parable reveals.

It’s high time we ask God’s help, to enable us to discover this great treasure of the kingdom of God. Pray, to be totally enamored by it and allowing it to take total control of our lives, so as to compel us into giving up everything for this greatest of treasure: Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Lord, I pray that I may have you as my sole treasure, my portion and cup, and when I find you, I may do as you will.  

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