Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 3:5, 7–12; Romans 8:28–30; Matthew 13:44–52
Jesus gives us three images of the kingdom of heaven:
a treasure hidden in a field,
a merchant searching for fine pearls,
and a net thrown into the sea, gathering fish of every kind.
Who among us has never dreamed of finding a treasure?
To find treasure, to win the lottery, to become rich suddenly — many people dream of this.
Why?
Because money seems to promise freedom.
Freedom from poverty.
Freedom from debt.
Freedom from bills, rent, and fear of tomorrow.
Now, we think, life can finally begin.
But the parable is not so simple.
The man who finds the treasure must first sell everything.
That is the point.
The kingdom of heaven does not become one more possession among many others.
It replaces everything else.
It is worth everything because it gives everything its true value.
Jesus once said:
“Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
The second parable speaks of a merchant searching for fine pearls.
A treasure may be found by surprise.
But the merchant is not simply lucky.
He is searching.
He has experience.
He knows the difference between the real and the fake.
There are many pearls in life.
Study.
Art.
Literature.
Sport.
Gardening.
Family.
Work.
Adventure.
All these can bring joy.
All these can give meaning.
But the human heart continues searching until it finds the one pearl that is worth everything.
That pearl is God.
The third parable speaks of a net that gathers fish of every kind.
It points to the end, to judgment, to the final sorting of good and evil.
This is not meant to frighten the innocent.
It is the last hope of those who suffer injustice.
Those who were abused.
Those who were persecuted.
Those who had no defender on earth.
Yes, there is much evil in the world.
Yes, many people behave as if they will never answer to anyone.
But evil will not last forever.
Human justice may fail.
God’s justice will not.
The kingdom of heaven means that God enters human history.
Quietly.
Patiently.
Without noise.
His work begins small, but it grows.
It overcomes obstacles.
It defeats death.
Whoever truly finds God discovers something greater than treasure, greater than pearls, greater than every dream of wealth or success.
Only God can answer the deepest hunger of the human heart.
Only God can face the mystery of evil and death.
And only God can make true what Saint Paul says today:
“In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him.”
Nothing can separate us from the love of God revealed in Christ Jesus.
That is the treasure.
That is the pearl.
That is worth everything.
Biblical Reflections on the Gospel of Matthew
Scripture Attribution
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993
the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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