OUR GREATEST TREASURE - JESUS
A Blessed 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time to you. Trust that your week has been great, & for those who attended our life-transforming Parish Retreat, I hope that your deep & personal experience of the wonderful love of God has captivated your heart!
Today's readings invite us to reflect on one fundamental question: What do we treasure most in life? Every decision we make reveals what we truly value. Jesus challenges us to examine our hearts and asks whether God's Kingdom is our greatest treasure or merely one priority among many.
The First Reading today from 1 Kings 3:5,7-12 presents the young King Solomon standing before God. Offered anything he desires, Solomon does not ask for wealth, military success, or a long life. Instead, he asks for an understanding heart so that he may govern God's people wisely. His request pleases God because it reflects humility and a sincere desire to serve rather than to be served.
Solomon recognizes that wisdom is the greatest gift because it enables every other decision to be made rightly. Wisdom is not merely intelligence or knowledge; it is seeing life through God's eyes. It is the ability to distinguish what is temporary from what is eternal, what is merely attractive from what is truly good.
In many ways, we face Solomon's choice every day. Society encourages us to seek financial success, comfort, popularity, and security. None of these are wrong in themselves, but if they become our highest goals, they can distract us from the deeper purpose of our lives. The greatest prayer we can offer may well be Solomon's: "Lord, give me a listening heart."
So here’s a personal question for you to reflect on this week: Like Solomon, where do I need God's wisdom most at this stage of my life? What important decision, relationship, or challenge am I currently facing? How can I seek God's guidance through prayer, Scripture, and the teachings of the Church before making my next step?
The Gospel continues this theme through three brief but powerful parables. Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a treasure hidden in a field, a merchant searching for a priceless pearl, and a fishing net gathering every kind of fish.
The first two parables speak of overwhelming joy. A man unexpectedly discovers a hidden treasure. A merchant finally finds the pearl for which he has been searching. In both stories, they willingly sell everything they own because what they have found is worth infinitely more.
Notice that Jesus does not say they sacrifice reluctantly. They sell everything joyfully. When someone discovers the Kingdom of God, discipleship is not about losing everything; it is about finding something infinitely greater & more valuable.
Many people view the Christian life as a list of rules, obligations, and sacrifices. But Jesus presents a very different picture. Faith is first about discovering Someone worth giving everything for. Once we truly encounter Christ, many of our previous ambitions begin to lose their attraction. What once seemed essential becomes secondary because we have found the greatest treasure – a loving relationship with Jesus our Saviour.
The challenge for us is to ask honestly: What is my treasure? Is it career success? Financial security? Recognition? Comfort? Even good things such as family or ministry can unintentionally become more important than our relationship with God.
Our treasure determines the direction of our lives. Jesus reminds us elsewhere, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (cf Matthew 6:21) If Christ truly is our treasure, then prayer is no longer a burden, forgiveness becomes possible, generosity becomes joyful, and service becomes an expression of love rather than duty.
Again, its time for us to reflect: What is the "treasure" that occupies my heart today? Is my greatest priority truly God's Kingdom, or have success, comfort, possessions, or personal ambitions taken first place? What might Jesus be inviting me to let go of so that I can follow Him more wholeheartedly?
Moving on to the second reading, St Paul offers tremendous encouragement. He assures us that "all things work together for good for those who love God." (cf Romans 8:28) This does not mean every event in life is good. We all experience suffering, disappointment, illness, failure, and grief. Rather, Paul reminds us that God can bring good even from life's greatest trials. This confidence allows Christians to persevere through uncertainty. The God who called us is continually shaping us into the image of His Son. Even the difficult chapters of our lives become part of God's saving work when we trust Him.
Back to the Gospel for the third parable: Jesus concludes with the parable of the fishing net. Unlike the first two parables, this one reminds us that there will be a final judgment. God patiently gathers everyone into His Kingdom, but each person must ultimately respond to His grace. Our choices matter. The Kingdom is freely offered, but it also demands commitment.
As disciples today, we are invited to make a daily decision. We need not literally sell everything we own, but we are called to surrender whatever prevents Christ from becoming the centre of our lives. Sometimes it may be pride, resentment, excessive attachment to possessions, unhealthy ambitions, or fear of trusting God completely.
The saints understood this well. They were not people who had less than others; they were people who had found more. They discovered that nothing compares to knowing Christ. That discovery filled them with courage, generosity, peace, and lasting joy.
Let’s look at our final reflection question: How can I show this week that Christ is my greatest treasure? What one concrete action can I take as a missionary disciple to put God first in my life? Perhaps I could
Spend more time in prayer?
Receive the Eucharist more intentionally?
Forgive someone?
Serve a person in need?
Share my faith with another?
As we celebrate the Eucharist, we encounter the greatest treasure hidden in plain sight. In the simple appearances of bread and wine, Christ gives us His very Body and Blood. Here we receive the wisdom of Solomon, the hope proclaimed by St Paul, and the priceless treasure described by Jesus.
May we leave this celebration with hearts that continually seek God's Kingdom above all else. May we ask daily for wisdom to recognize what truly matters, the courage to let go of whatever holds us back, and the joy that comes from knowing that in Christ we have already found the treasure beyond all price. Amen.
Article by Damian Boon, HFC Blog Team Lead