17th Sunday, Year A: Reflection by Fr Julian O Ekeh

Theme: TIME FOR TREASURE HUNT: BE WISE

(Matthew 13:44–52)

There comes in the life of man, a time to make a choice, to set aside, to go for what you want, to keep away distractions, to ask, seek, and search.

What matters to one person may not matter to another. What one man treasures may not be a treasure for the other. But no matter the many perspectives on treasure, which may at times be an abuse of the word, we are called upon to consider treasure as it is. Not from a relative point of view. Treasure that worth the name is one laid down by God.

Thus, in the gospel of today, Jesus used three parables to talk about the kingdom of God. He talks about it as a hidden treasure. We shall do a study on this to know the relationship between the kingdom and a hidden treasure. It is within. It is around you. It is with you. Just discover it and grab it.

Secondly, He talks of it as fine pearls, which was found by a merchant, and he sold all to have it. It is indeed about giving up something today for a better tomorrow and eternity. It involves seeing what others fail to see. The value of most of the things you do may not be understood today but later in life. Be future driven. Be driven by eternity. People buy lands that seem to be valueless at present, but they appreciate later to give them lifetime wealth. In a world where heavenly values are no longer taken seriously, we are called upon to appreciate heavenly and godly values.

Jesus talks of the kingdom, too, as a net thrown into the sea for a catch of fish.

Whereas the first and second parables centre on guarding jealously what one treasured, covering and protecting it from attacks and snatchers, as well as selling off the unnecessaries to buy the treasure the third is an invitation to make sure you separate whatever that may make you be separated from among those who will inherit the kingdom of heaven.

Thus, when we make God our one and only treasure, go for him and His values, He, in turn, makes us His special treasures, the apple of His eye. While separating the good from bad fish, we shall be taken into his heavenly vessel.

Today and indeed now is the time for us to go about the hunt for the treasure of eternal joy, a joy that begins here. The following are necessary in our treasure search and discovering of our treasure:

DISCOVER AND COVER

Jesus leads us through the spiritual voyage of discovery in which we find the way to the kingdom of God. That is the purpose for which He came to the world; to forgive us our sins and lead us to heaven. It is His will that having discovered the secrets of the kingdom revealed through His life and teachings, we may guard them, keep them safe, and handle them with care. That is what the man who found the treasure hidden in the field did. In our world so saturated with a lot of false teachings and misdirections, Jesus beckons us to guide our faith jealously because the enemy shows myriads of treasures. He has not stopped taking people to the high mountains, showing them different kingdoms and promising to give it to them. Be firm. Cover the treasure in you. Don’t expose it to mundane, diabolical, and immoral devourers.

SEPARATE THE UNNECESSARY

In order not to be separated at last…

Set aside and sieve. Keep sieving till you get at the finest you. Sieve the information you receive. Sieve the type of persons you mingle with, sieve the advice you receive, sieve out discouragement, sieve away ego, sieve out pride.

BE TRAINED

Jesus talks about the disciple who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven. The only reason for which Christ continues to train us is to make us fit for his glory.

Here, discipline comes in.

To attain your goal in life, you’ve got to pass through training and undergo some spiritual exercises. “Onye ma akwa ọkwa n’achi ya”(Appreciate divine love hidden in experiences of life). Receive the training to learn and see the hand of God in the daily experiences of your life. Train yourself with self control, train yourself through mortification.

SELL AND BUY

To attain the demands of realizing your treasure, you’ve got to sell a lot of things. Sell your gossip time to buy prayer time, sell your sin to buy holiness, sell your laziness to buy hardwork, sell your heartlessness to buy compassion, sell your pride to buy humility, sell your abuse to buy respect, sell your fear and buy faith, sell your stinginess to buy charity.

Just look within you and find out what needs to be sold. Sell it off. Use the energy you give in to it for something positive, sell the impression that someone is holding you down, and hold on to God with the inspiration that he lifts you up no matter what.

Just be wise in making life decisions. Endeavour to work hard for a lasting treasure. Work with the grace of God to discover the treasure hidden in your day-to-day activities.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

LET US PRAY

Oh God, we thank You for Your word today. Lead us to find with joy our good heart desires and be rewarded eternally with the greatest reward of happiness in heaven through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Happy Sunday to you (17th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr A)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh