Homily-Seventeenth Sunday of Year A
Treasures and Pearls of God’s Love (C) - Fr. Udoekpo, M
v 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12
v Ps 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130
v Rom 8:28-30
v Matt 13:44-52
Today we
celebrate what really matters in life, things that are worthy of our treasure,
our Christian pearls, namely; God, his kingdom values and his commands! We have been taught these values and commands,
throughout history. This would include tender care for one another, divine mercy,
neighborliness, forgiveness, good and prudent leadership, kindness, truth, compassion,
love, selfless services to one another, sacrificial love, putting others first,
searching for the common good. Others are, the corporeal and spiritual works
of mercy, cardinal and theological virtues[prudence, justice,
fortitude, temperance] [faith, hope and charity], cherishing the gifts and
fruits of the Holy Spirit[wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude,
knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord; joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity]),
that we received during baptism and confirmation.
These are some of things that Solomon asked
for in today’s first readings (1 Kings 3:5, 7-12). In that reading, God
appeared to the young and inexperienced, son of David, King Solomon in a dream
at Gibeon. Divinely encouraged, Solomon, unlike, modern greedy leaders and
politicians, impressively asked the Lord for neither riches, long life, fame,
nor power to dominate those he disagreed with, but for what matters in life, in
his own position as a young king, namely, for the spirit of understanding and for
discernment of God’s ways to govern in the fear of the Lord. It’s simply the
gifts of the Holy Spirit including administrative prudence!
For him
this was the anticipated pearl and the treasures spoken of in the Gospel
parable today. In these parables, Jesus says that those who truly love God will
pursue the values of his kingdom of heaven, which he compares to a treasure and
a pearl discovered unexpectedly. He also compares the kingdom of God to a net
that hauls in fish “of every kind,” good and bad (Matt 13:44-52).
This may
give us a pause to rethink what we thought or considered important in our
Christian lives. These parables and the request of Solomon challenge us to review our priorities
as Christians and believers? If our priorities are some of the mentioned gifts of the Holy
Spirit, ( Wisdom, understanding,, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, fear of the
Lord etc), which Solomon prudently asked for, when we received them, are we
ready to share these God given treasures
and gifts with others?
This is
the question that is raised by the flipped -side of the first two parables (the
parables of the discovered treasure and pearl). That is to say, it doesn’t
matter how long it takes us to succeed, to discover the treasure of God’s love
and forgiveness. God’s time frame is not our time frame. When we succeed, when
we discover God’s love and values in our lives, God wants us, as his disciples,
to share with joy and humility our experience and the gifts we received in him.
He wants us to carry along those who are yet to succeed or discover this
treasure and wisdom in him.
The gifts
and faith and wisdom, we receive from God as Christians (during baptism and
conformation etc) must be at the service of our families, ecclesial communities,
and civil communities. We must share the stories of our faith with our children
and grandchildren. We must tell them where we came from in faith, tell them
about our journey thus far and how God has blessed us. We must wisely tell
them how things were done before now—the movies that were watched, the seniors
and the aged that were cared for, and even the parents and the teachers that
were respected. We want to share with our fellow workers, colleagues, and
friends the values and honesty that were taught and promoted—the Christ that
you have discovered. These treasures are not meant for our selfish custody.
Truly,
our times are filled with modern and new challenges of selfishness, ethnocentrism,
materialism, subjectivism, climate change, and disrespect to human life, especially
the unborn; as well as inordinate anthropocentric behaviors of humans on other God’s
creatures, searching for peace and cure for covdi-19.
Others
challenges today, are abuse of power in some political capitals, as well as the
neglect of faith and failure to recognize God’s role and divine treasures in
our lives.
Like Solomon, let us pray for God’s wisdom
today in our daily choices, judgments, evaluations, and discernment. Let us
also pray for the grace to understand the treasure of God’s love, goodness to
us, and the values of his kingdom.
Reflection
Questions:
1. As
Christians what do we consider true divine values, pearls, treasures?
2. What are
our priorities, and where do we look for them?
3. When
we discover God’s values, what prevents you from sharing God’s love, and these
values with neighbors?
