The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to explore the nature of the treasure of great value in our own life experience.
The reading from the Book of Exodus describes the Shining Face of Moses.
Psalm 99 is praise to God for His Holiness.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus shares parables about our response to finding great treasure in life.
* [13:44–50] The first two of the last three parables of the discourse have the same point. The person who finds a buried treasure and the merchant who finds a pearl of great price sell all that they have to acquire these finds; similarly, the one who understands the supreme value of the kingdom gives up whatever he must to obtain it. The joy with which this is done is made explicit in the first parable, but it may be presumed in the second also. The concluding parable of the fishnet resembles the explanation of the parable of the weeds with its stress upon the final exclusion of evil persons from the kingdom. (Matthew, CHAPTER 13, n.d.)
Carol Zuegner shares that the path to the kingdom of heaven is there. Jesus has shown us the way with the ultimate sacrifice.
I need to work at doing the right and good things for my neighbors and for God. Shortcuts aren’t going to work. I just need to keep following the map, knowing I will stray and stumble. God is with me on the journey. I pray that I am attentive to my heart, to overcome the obstacles I put in my own way when I am selfish or unkind. When I ignore others, when I am less than honest with myself.
Today I pray for the courage to continue to work toward the kingdom of heaven. I pray for patience with others and with myself. I pray for eyes to see and ears to listen to those people in my life. I pray to be open to the joy on the journey to the kingdom of heaven. (Zuegner, 2023)
Don Schwager presents a meditation on “Joy in Finding Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price.”
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46 comments that personal testimony is a powerful way to make people thirst for the living water that Jesus offers to each person.
So what’s your story? How have you discovered the “treasure” of abundant life in Jesus? Take a moment to recall it, and then ask the Lord for the opportunity to share it today.
“You are my treasure, Jesus! Help me share the joy of your kingdom with others today.” (Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler connects the shining face of Moses to the change we experience when we encounter God. Paul used the image of the veil in his description of the Hebrew Testament. Friar Jude reminds us that our transformation will involve a conversion of our hearts and a simple and God-like approach to our community.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Franciscan sister Nancy Schreck who locates Jesus’ commitment to nonviolence in God’s unconditional and inclusive love. She points to healing as a natural consequence of belonging.
If the starting place for exploring the nonviolence of Jesus is in his vision of the all embracing love of God, our reflection is furthered by his vision of universal healing. This approach to life includes hope for the basic well-being of the other. This was Jesus’ deepest wish for each person he encountered. In the gospel we see him moving among so many kept outside the circle of well-being by institutional violence which claimed that healing and well-being belonged to some and not to others. Jesus always found those who had been pushed outside the circle of care and invited them back into the community through the door of healing. He taught the community that its well-being was tied to the well-being of each member. (Rohr, 2023)
We attend to the prompting of the Spirit and we encounter the pearl of great price in our relationships with God and the people on our journey.
References
Matthew, CHAPTER 13. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/13?44
Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/08/02/747789/
Rohr, R. (2023, August 1). Inclusive Love Heals All — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/inclusive-love-heals-all-2023-08-01/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=aug2
Zuegner, C. (2023, August 2). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/080223.html
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