TREASURE HUNT

                                                                                         (Reflection for Wednesday, 17^th week in Ordinary)
                                                                                                           Jer15:10.16-21,Mt13:44-46 

                                                                                                                     

In the first reading, Jeremiah, the Suffering Servant of Yahweh, continues to lament the persecution he encountered in his mission. With a tone of despair, he argues with God, reminding Him how he took delight in His word and how he kept himself away from wayward life. Then he asks, ‘why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? The Lord tells the Prophet to return to Him and He will restore him, and make him triumphant over his persecutors.

In the Gospel, Jesus describes the Kingdom of Heaven as a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. ‘...In his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.’

My Treasure, My Joy!

The kingdom of Heaven is a treasure: This means we must value it, and take pleasure in searching for it. But because it is HIDDEN, we must search for it. It is only those who search that can find it. Actually, this is what the human heart is yearning for. But often times, we direct the energies of our heart to worldly treasures that cannot satisfy it.

Which a man found and covered up: Because it is valuable, it must be protected. Like any other treasure, if we do not guide it, we may lose it. The life of righteousness—the life of the Kingdom—must be assiduously guided. In guarding this treasure, we equally guard the joy that comes from being in contact with it.

In his joy he goes and sells all that he has...! Yes, the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10 ). The joy of heavenly treasure surpasses all others. It may not be easy given up old stocks, but fresh breath of the Kingdom smoothens the sacrifice. The given up of other treasures comes, not as a punishment, but as part of the ingredients of the joy the man had in his process of possessing the Kingdom. The fact that he is able to sell off his old stock joyfully to acquire the greatest treasure increases his joy for the heavenly treasure. In other words, any sacrifice made for the Kingdom increases the joy of the Kingdom and helps to sustain it.

...And buys the field. He makes it his own possession. We are not called as tenants in the Kingdom, we are co-heirs with Jesus. We are adopted Sons (Rm 8:17). We must relate to the affairs of the Kingdom of God as our own personal possession. It is within this personal commitment that we begin to savour the sweetness of ecclesiastical communion.

THE TRUE MERCHANT

Reflecting still, we see in Jesus one who, in a way, sold off His glory in order to purchase us (cf. Phil 2:7). Seeing the potential in us as inherent images of God, though marred by sin, He left His heavenly glory, gave away His life and purchased us at the price of His own blood.  ‘‘You have been bought at a price’’ (ICor 6:20, 7:23). Therefore, we are precious in His sight, his own personal possession (cf. Is 43:4, IPet 2:9).

Therefore, the parable of the hidden treasure, inspires all those who have found Jesus, their hidden treasure, to sacrifice worldly treasures in order to possess the Lord who has possessed us; to own the One who owns us. In this way, our joy will be secure.




Fr Jude Chinwe Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
National Shrine of Our Mother Perpetual Help,
Ugwogo-Nike, Enugu, Nigeria.
Wednesday , 30 August, 2014.

 

UNDERSTANDING THE PARABLE

Jer 14:17b-22, Mt 13:36-43

THE QUESTIONING...

The first expresses the plight of the people of God in the face of the great drought. The prophet Jeremiah echoes out their suffering before God in the form of questions: ‘‘Have you rejected Judah altogether? Does your soul loathe Zion? We looked for peace, but no good came...’’ At the end, he acknowledged their wickedness and sinfulness, begging God not to reject them. Jeremiah affirmed their faith in God who sends rain: ‘‘We set our hope in you, for you do all these things.’’

In the Gospel, the apostles, Seeing that Jesus taught the crowds in parables but never explained it to them (Mt 13:34), on entering the room questioned Jesus about the meaning of the parable of the weeds in the field. Jesus did not hesitate to unravel the hidden meaning of the parable to his little ones (cf. Mt 11:25).

UNDERSTANDING THE PARABLE

Sometimes our lives unfold like a parable: the events in the story are familiar but the hidden meaning propelling it is elusive. We seem to be in control of our actions/lives but cannot determine its outcome. At other times, turbulent situations may make us feel isolated, even from God. At such moments, one may begin to question like Jeremiah if God still hears prayers or if one is saying the right prayers. Our hearts yearn for answers; we hunger to understand the deep meaning of the parable of our lives.

It is then that we follow Jesus to the quiet room of our hearts and seek for deeper meaning. We will always find the reason and meaning about our parables once we listen to the Lord. His ready answer reveals God's plan for us.