I sat down at the keyboard to put down a few thoughts about the scriptures for Sunday’s homily (7/26/20 17th Sun in Ordinary Time A) and the “A Child’s Story” just poured out of me.
Reading 1~ 1 KGS 3:5, 7-12, Responsorial Psalm~ PS 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130, Reading II~ 2 ROM 8:28-30, Gospel~ MT 13:44-46 (44-52)
If you want to hear the homily, here is a link to the recording of the 8 am Mass. The text of the story, and shortened version of the homily follow below. https://youtu.be/ZBbkK5beFDM?t=679
Once upon a time, there was a village on the estates of the High King.
In this village, in the North Eastern area of the village, quite close to the Royal Forest, a child named Filius was playing and digging next to his mother’s garden. She was with his father, in the front of their home, which was the finest bakery in the village.
It had already been a great day, because he had found 3 worms, 2 beetles, and an ancient bottle, made of glass that was a blue so deep it looked purple when held to the light. Suddenly, while looking at the deep blue world around him through the glass, he saw the sun reflect off something still mostly buried at the edge of the area he had been digging in.
Curiosity immediately grabbed the attention of his young mind and he began digging furiously with his bare hands until he uncovered it. He had no understanding of what he had found but, he immediately knew that it was to be the newest and most important treasure in the collection of treasures that was in the wooden box under his bed. Even better than the blue bottle! This was the best day Filius could remember in his young life!
It was round. It looked like a great big coin with the raised image of a key on one side, and a picture of the king’s castle on the other. It was attached to a chain and he put it on over his head like a necklace. He laughed with joy as he saw it hung all the way down past his belt buckle.
Filius ran to the bakery to show his parent’s his new treasure. They tried to ignore him because they were negotiating with the bricklayer to build them a new oven. Theirs had developed cracks and was beyond repair. Without the new oven they would soon lose their ability to run their business and feed their family.
The bricklayer shook his head, refusing the best offer they could make to him, and turned to leave. Filius’ father yelled, “wait”! We can also give you the gold coin around our son’s neck! Filius couldn’t believe what he had heard and began to cry as he slumped to the floor clutching his treasure.
Just then the King’s carriage came to a stop in front of the bakery and the King came in. He ignored the adults and walked over to Filius. He knelt next to the boy and dried his tears with a fine silk handkerchief.
He spoke in a voice that was as deep as the ocean, and as warm as a sun-dappled meadow in mid-summer, “Whatever is bothering you boy, be at peace. Because you have found something that will cause great joy throughout the land! You are wearing around your neck the amulet, which was forged as a gift for my grandfather’s, great-grandfather’s, father. It has been lost to my family for many generations and is more precious than anything else in this world to your King.
Because you have found it, I give it to you to keep as long as you live, and to pass on to your children, and their children forever. But to make this gift to you, I must also do one other thing. I must adopt you as my son so that it remains forever in the family to which it belongs. You and your parents shall live all your days in the castle and know the love and protection of your King.
What does that child’s story have to do with today’s Gospel?
In our Gospel reading from Mathew we come near to the end of Chapter 13 that we have been reflecting upon for the past 2 Sundays and we have heard many parables about the kingdom of heaven:
A sower went out to sow and the seed fell on many kinds of soils,
weeds are allowed to grow with the wheat until the harvest,
a tiny mustard seed grows into a great bush,
and yeast leavens the whole batch of flour.
Today we hear about a treasure buried in a field that a person finds and OUT OF JOY, goes and sells ALL he has and buys that field. Similarly, a merchant is searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells ALL that he has and buys it.
What is this treasure that is worth more than everything else in our lives combined? It is Jesus Christ himself! It is our salvation! Nothing in this world or life is worth more than that. Like a pearl that is slowly built up around a single grain of sand over time, our salvation is found in our slowly, one day, one hour, one moment at a time, in each decision, using our free will to choose to follow Christ and be conformed to his image.
It is seeking the will of God and not our own will. It is putting other people’s needs in front of our own. It is in working for a more just and equitable society. It is in respecting all life from conception to natural death. It is in giving of our time, talent and resources to the work of God in his Church. It is in prayer and devotions. It is in reception of the Sacraments, especially and frequently Eucharist and Reconciliation in which we are set right again after we have chosen poorly. It is embracing the crosses of our lives with love and carrying them as we offer our suffering up to be combined with the suffering of our savior on the cross to which he was nailed for us.
Let me leave you with a question,
Do you accept the great treasure of our salvation like a child, who knows it is the greatest treasure in his life?
Or
Do you accept it as a great treasure but, a treasure that you are willing to trade away for the things of this world?