Brothers and Sisters,

We have been on the road with Jesus and his disciples for six weeks through the Gospel of Mathew. The following is what we have learned so far about being his disciples. We are sent into the world with a positive attitude of gathering people into God’s Kingdom – for a rich harvest, Jesus said. To this end, we are to nurture a blessing attitude and cultivate virtues of hospitality, fidelity, humility, gentleness, and patience. This week, we are called to discover and rediscover the presence of God deep within us – the treasure at the depth of our being, the pearl of hidden beauty held within earthen vessels.

In the Gospel reading of this Sunday, we hear Jesus comparing the Kingdom of God to the overwhelming joy of a man who discovered a buried treasure and sold all he had to purchase the field that held the treasure. He didn’t just walk away with the treasure. He bought the whole field. The whole field had a value and meaning because it held the treasure. The nature of the kingdom of God is such that it is like the treasure buried deep inside of us. St. Paul tells us that we are earthen vessels holding the glory of God (2 Corinthians 4:7). The treasure makes the vessel priceless and the whole vessel is worth sacrificing everything that we have.

Jesus also compares the kingdom of God to a merchant’s efforts to purchase an incredibly valuable pearl. The merchant is savvy enough to recognize that he needs to sell everything he owns to obtain the one pearl of great price.  Before the discovery of the diamond, the pearl was the most precious “thing” on earth.  Jesus presents the kingdom of God as the most beautiful thing that one can dream of and contemplate and it is worth all the sacrifice that one may have to make. Jesus was telling his listeners and us today that we ought to imitate that shrewd merchant who sold other pearls of lesser value to obtain that one truly priceless pearl.

These two parables remind us that the kingdom of God is found within us in the context our daily life and responsibilities and not in some extraordinary, earth-shattering event.  One man while working in his field found the treasure and the merchant found the fine pearl while carrying on his business.  God is found where we are, doing what we are called to do, fulfilling our duties and responsibilities, even in the most insignificant activities, events, people, and situations. It is up to us to find and re-find the treasure of the Kingdom and the pearl of hidden beauty within us and in our day to day experiences. Everything in our life must be measured, weighed, and prioritized against this “treasure and pearl” of great value. Everything that holds this “treasure and pearl” must be respected and tenderly cared for. The “earthen vessel” that “holds the glory of God” must be honored and treated with tenderness.

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