The Kingdom of Heaven

Jesus never said things or did things exactly the way his listeners thought he should. Jesus compared the Kingdom of heaven to things we don’t expect. In our Gospel, Jesus uses parables to explain to his listeners that the Kingdom you search for is not at all what you think it will be.

Good evening Brothers and Sisters

The Kingdom of God is the greatest of all treasures. God prepared it for us before time began and we are encouraged to pray for wisdom as Solomon did, in order to discern the true value and mysteries of God’s kingdom.

I am sure that most all of you have dreamed of hitting the jackpot. Of winning the lottery. In my case, I’ve done it. Well, after all I am not much different than you are. But imagine for a moment that you did win the lottery. Or maybe you struck it big when you were digging around in the garden you discovered a large metal box / full of gold. Imagine falling asleep and seeing God in a dream offering anything you wish for, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” 
The very thought of sudden wealth poses the question, “wouldn’t all of our troubles be over if we were rich?” We could dream of a new future with endless possibilities. But wealth my friends is just another form of power. Of course having power increases our options but it can complicate our lives. It can induce laziness, make us greedy and the desire for wanting more can become an obsession. We quickly learn among other popular sayings that money cannot buy happiness or make us a better person.

Sunday Readings

In our First Reading (1 Kings 3:5, 7-12), Solomon begged God to give him understanding, “Give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” He asked for wisdom for the benefit of both his kingdom and God’s.
Jesus compared the kingdom of God to finding a treasure or discovering a pearl of great price, but he was not referring to earthly wealth or power. The treasure is in understanding that true happiness is found in our relationship with God and with one another.

The Spiritual Journey

People seeking spiritual guidance were drawn to Jesus. They knew that being in union with God would bring a wealth and power, that money and treasures cannot fulfill. And this is the wisdom that Solomon asked for. God was pleased because it showed him he was already wise and would make a good leader.
In the Second Reading (Romans 8:28-30), Paul tells the community in Rome that “all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” God leads us through the storms of life toward our home with him in his kingdom. He carefully aligns all the events of our lives in order to lead us there. God’s powerful hand is active in all aspects of our life.

The Gospel of Matthew

In our Gospel (Matthew 13:44-52), Jesus continues to use parables to teach us about the Kingdom of God. Buried treasures and expensive pearls. At the time of Jesus, there were many stories about hidden treasures in the fields. In ancient times, wars and invasions by enemies were fairly common, so people had to run for their lives. They would bury the treasures they couldn’t take, hoping to recover them once the danger was over. Often times owners did not return and their fields were taken over by people who didn’t know about the treasure. One day maybe a passerby would notice some particular glitter and suspecting what it was, would sell everything he owned to buy that field. Imagine the reaction of a family who sees a neighbor sell everything to buy a piece of land that is just like any other piece of land. I imagine they would think the neighbor had gone crazy. Jesus says that does who discover the kingdom of God will discover a treasure. Such a person’s life will change, but the sacrifice is worth it, as the reward is the kingdom of God. Family and friends might look at it in a different way. They might think that person has gone nuts. I have never won a lottery but I could imagine the first feelings are one of craziness.

Living the Gospel

And how does this all fit in with Jesus? Have you or I really given up something in order to find or meet him? Does receiving Christ in the Holy Eucharist transformed the way we think or act?
My dear friends, following Jesus requires quite some life changing decisions and our Readings are good news for us. The kingdom of heaven is for everyone and it can be everywhere, but it is up to us to do the work in finding it. Look for that glimmer in the middle of an abandoned field and go dig for it. Look for that pearl and treasure it. Ask something of the Lord and he will give it to you. Pray for wisdom like Solomon to distinguish between the treasures here on earth or the ones found in heaven. It will make your life richer and the world a better place. 

Amen