Mt. 13: 44-52
One of our senior priests used to share with us an inspiring anecdote during our novitiate days. There was this journalist who went to a well known cloistered convent to produce a documentary about the cloistered convent and the lifestyle of the sisters over there. In the end, he met the superior personally and thanked her for their warm hospitality and all the help that they extended for the successful completion of the documentary. At the end of their conversation, he pointed out a beautiful palace through the window, which was situated little far away from the convent and asked the superior: “If you were to be the princes of that palace would you had been joined here? She smiled at him and said: “Yes, I am, once upon a time I was the princes of that palace.”
In today’s gospel, we see Jesus shares three parables that convey the supreme importance of the kingdom preached by Jesus. The first one is about a person who finds a treasure, hidden in the field. He sells everything and buys the field to possess the treasure. This analogy depicts the supreme value of the kingdom of God; when one recognizes Jesus as God and saviour. He/she is ready to sacrifice everything else to possess this priceless treasure.
The next parable that Jesus shares, is about a merchant, who searches for the precious pearl. When a person finds a precious pearl, he sells everything and buys it. When one realizes the kingdom of God in His/her life journey nothing else matters for that person. So far whatever he/she considered as precious, they are even ready to sacrifice it for the sake of Jesus. To get attached to the person of Jesus we need to detach ourselves from all that we consider as precious. The rich young man of the gospel wanted to follow Jesus he was the most suitable candidate because childhood onwards he was instructed in Torah and he practiced it word by word. Anyhow, when Jesus asked him to get himself detached from all his earthly possessions, he was not ready to abandon all his material possessions to possess Jesus who is the most precious pearl. When we glance through the history of the Church we see several men and women who detached everything to possess Jesus as their own. Today we venerate them as saints, blessed or beatified because they recognized the preciousness of Jesus and ready to sacrifice everything for his sake.
The third analogy that Jesus uses is that of dragnet that catches all kinds of fish. It is very common among fishermen that after a catch, they check all the fishes to know whether they are useful or not? They throwback to the sea all those fishes that are small in size or not fit to eat. Jesus uses this analogy to speak about one’s entry into the kingdom of God. It is a gift given to all nevertheless we need to respond to this invitation through our way of life and deeds. Being a Christian is not a privilege to enter into the kingdom of God. It is a gift with responsibility. If one is not able to respond to this call, and unable to recognize Jesus as the treasure hidden amid the world, also as the precious pearl, and not willing to shape one’s own life based on the gospel values then we may not be graced to enjoy the communion in heaven.
As we continue our life journey let us introspect and see what the most valuable treasure of our life is? Are we ready to sell everything to possess Jesus? Are we able to integrate our life based on gospel values? Let our preferential choices tell the world that Jesus is the treasure of our life and we are ready to sacrifice everything to enjoy eternity with him.