Word to the Wise
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 - Wednesday in the 17th Week in Ordinary Time
[Exod 34:29-35 and Matt 13:44-46,1027]Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
Would I do that? Does it make sense? Even if I know from my own expertise that what I've found is better than anything else I have, would I give up everything else so I can have this one thing? On more than one occasion in the gospels, Jesus tells us that the decision made by the pearl merchant is the right one! The Kingdom of heaven is like that fine pearl and it is a good investment, worth more than everything else. The same is true about the treasure hidden in the field.
One might reply, "Yes, but that treasure and that pearl are 'sure things.'" Yet, do not we give time, talent and treasure to acquire rather "intangible" things. The whole world of credit and investment is a gamble. Jesus tells us that we are not gambling when we choose him. Faith in the stock market or in a roll of the dice is not the same as faith in God. The martyrs of the church are a constant witness to us about the worth of the Kingdom. It is worth their lives. Can we accept their testimony?
Our American culture and most of the "developed" world places great emphasis on "getting" and not on "giving up!" Jesus warns us that to "get" the Kingdom means we have to "give up" a lot of things that our culture considers more valuable. We should trust his judgment. He considered us valuable enough to die for! AMEN