God's Pearls

~~~ Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 ~~~ Psalm 119 ~~~ Romans 8:28-30 ~~~ 

~~~ Matthew 13:44-52 ~~~

It might make you feel uncomfortable to think of yourself 

as the pearl of great price or as the treasure 

discovered in the field, but it it true.

You are this treasured pearl.

You are the one Jesus was willing to sacrifice all in order to buy.

...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. 

Jesus sacrifices more than material possessions

 to secure his precious pearls.

Jesus was willing to sacrifice his very life blood.

What have you sacrificed recently?

The great King Solomon was also one of God's precious pearls.

Solomon says, I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. 

How do you act with appreciation in response

 to being considered a treasure?

Solomon asks God...

Give your servant, therefore, 

an understanding heart...

This is how he chose to respond to being God's treasure.

As we know he was granted great wisdom 

evident in the manner in which he governed the people for many years.

Paul tells the Romans and us...

We know that all things work for good for those who love God,

who are called according to his purpose. 

We should not be anxious about being called by God to work in his Kingdom.

For those whom he calls are the ones he considers to be great pearls.

The ones he calls he has often found buried in the field.

Once he finds us then we must allow him to work

us into his eternal plan of goodness.

Wherever you may find yourself in this parable of Jesus;

believe you are really there.

Believe that he willingly

 paid a great price for you.

Believe if he had it to do over again he would,

even if it was just to 'buy' you.

Blessed to be God's Pearls.

~~~Peace~~~

Holy Sunburn

Memorial of Saint Ignatius Loyola

~~~ Exodus 34:29-35 ~~~ Psalm 99 ~~~ Matthew 13:44-46 ~~~

 

Holy is the Lord our God.

Moses found the kingdom of heaven, not in a field or in the market place.

Moses found it on a mountain top, in a burning bush, and in a cloud.

Moses becomes so united with the presence of God that

his face becomes radiant with heavenly glory.

So radiant was his face that those who looked upon it were shocked.

He chose to cover his face from then on with a veil

whenever he was with the people.

 

...the children of Israel would see
that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant;
so he would again put the veil over his face
until he went in to converse with the LORD.

Moses hid his face from the people, but he did not hide from God.

God would come to Moses in the cloud; temporarily hiding himself.

 

Jesus tells the disciples about the kingdom of heaven

in words they could comprehend.

The kingdom of heaven is like a buried treasure in a field

or a pearl of great treasure.

We know that there are no words to describe the kingdom of heaven.

From his analogy we do get a feeling...a sense of the wonder.

We can all understand what it means to treasure something.

 

 

The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field...

the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.

 

Moses was a treasure for the Israelites.

He was found hidden among the tall grass in a basket.

 

Our faith is a treasure...a treasure to be shared.

Perhaps we can only point in the direction of the field.

Each person must do their own searching for the buried treasure.

 

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

what about the special fine pearl.

Is it too judged by the one who finds it?

 

When we find the special treasure in the field

will our face too become radiant with God's glory?

We cannot find the great treasure of the kingdom of heaven

only to bury it once again.

 

We must return as Moses did to share.

If you  have in your possession a pearl of great price,

do you consider it a treasure?

Do you really value it? Or do you simply take it for granted?

The face of Moses was evidence of his finding.

 

There are blessings in the searching,

but the greater blessings are when the treasure is found.

All who find the treasure of the kingdom of heaven

are filled with overwhelming joy.

 

And 'yes' your face will surely show it.

Saint Ignatius, pray for us.