An understanding heart is God's gift

I Kgs 3:5.7-12, Rom. 8:28-30, Mt 13:44-52. On this Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, the Church reminds us that our true treasure is found in God. Today’s first reading gives us the origin of Solomon’s great wisdom: it comes from God as a gift in answer to Solomon’s humble prayer. God is pleased that his prayer is selfless and gives him far more than he requested. The Lord appeared to the newly crowned Solomon at Gibeon and said to him: “Ask what I should give you?" (1 Kgs 3:5). This question may have taken Solomon unawares but, he knew exactly what his priority was in life and as a newly crowned king and still young in mind, he recognised that he needed the accompaniment of God; the Spirit of discernment and so he asked for wisdom from God (1 Kgs 3:10). An understanding heart is God's gift (Prov. 2:6). We need it everyday and in all aspects of our life: family, work, business, studies and in all life’s decisions in order to succeed.

Solomon’s life is a confirmation of what today’s second reading teaches when it says: “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). That is, God is leading us through the storms of life towards our home and His Kingdom. Today’s Gospel reminds us that nothing is as precious and treasured as the Kingdom of Heaven and so we must do all we can even if it requires selling all our possessions: which may include pleasures, pains, dreams and prospects, as we see in the first two parables (Mt. 13:44-46), in order to partake of this Kingdom. Using the simple example of how someone discovered the treasure in the field and sold everything he had that he might buy the field and thus own the treasure. The Kingdom of Heaven is also compared to a most beautiful and magnificent pearl of great worth and price. In that parable, again, the one who found the pearl of great price sold everything he had and bought the pearl as his true treasure. This is similar to the story of the treasure in the field and the essence of the story is that the Kingdom of Heaven is so precious and great, that it is worth our entire existence to own it and its value is beyond all that our earthly possessions and wealth can be compared to.

May the Lord grant us the spirit of discernment to enable us make the right choices in life and always acknowledge that the Kingdom of Heaven is priceless! Amen!! Stay safe and save life, Jesus loves you, happy Sunday!!!