Chapter 13 of Matthew’s Gospel contains a number of parables. It begins with the Parable of the Sower, one of my favorite parables, a parable about parables, if you will, where the Lord explains the necessary disposition of mind and soul to listen to and receive his teaching. Our minds and souls are to be good soil, clear of the thorns of worldly attachments, willing to remain faithful to his teaching when things get rocky, weary of the cunning tricks of the devil to draw us away from the Lord’s truth.
The Lord goes on to liken the kingdom of God to a mustard seed, then another likening the kingdom of God to yeast put into batch of bread. These have to do with the way the kingdom of God will grow as we are faithful to its mission.
Today, we heard some parables about the value of message. How it should be accepted with great urgency. As with much fervor and urgency as a merchant who finds a pearl of great price we are to conform our lives to his teaching.
The merchant reflects Jesus’ first disciples who left everything to follow Jesus. So, too, all of humanity are invited to prioritize his Gospel above everything else. His teachings require a radical reorientation of our lives, our priorities. And like the one who sells all that he has to buy the field with the buried treasure, we joyfully abandon everything to obtain the treasure Jesus wants for us.
The source of so much sadness in the world is the unwillingness to give up sin, unbelief, pride, and worldly attachments, for the Gospel. And so the Church’s mission is to make the source of our joy known to the world—let our light shine before men, that true joy and fulfillment is founding in knowing him, loving him, serving him, reorienting your life to him, dying with him, so that you may rise with him.
Christ is the greatest of treasures. When our lives reflect this truth, we are filled with supernatural joy. But to truly possess this pearl we must embrace, not just some of his teaching, but the whole Christ, His truth, his call to conversion, his suffering, his cross, his death for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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For the conversion of hearts hardened to the Gospel, for those who have fallen away from the Church, for non-believers and unrepentant sinners, and that Christians may be attentive to our responsibility of sharing the Gospel with all. Let us pray to the Lord.
For the purification of our minds and hearts from the errors of the culture and from the lure of worldly attachments. Let us pray to the Lord.
That leaders of nations may find guidance in the Word of God for proper governance and the pursuit of justice for all. Let us pray to the Lord.
That Christian family homes may be places where the Gospel is studied, understood, observed, and cherished. Let us pray to the Lord.
For all those who suffer illness, those in hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care. Let us pray to the Lord.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, the deceased members of our families friends and parishes, for those who fought and died for our freedom, and N. for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord.
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all goodness, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain
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