Treasures of Healing and Humility

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time and World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, challenge us to look into our heritage for the gifts of patience, humility, and charity that are the treasures that have brought healing and hope.

The Reading from the First Book (1 Kings, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.) of Kings presents the Early Promise of Solomon’s Reign.

* [3:1–15] The third major unit of the Solomon story depicts the bright beginning of his reign. It includes the narrator’s remarks about Solomon’s marriage and his building projects, and a divine appearance to Solomon. Compare 11:1–13, where the same themes recur, but in negative fashion. The story of the divine appearance is told also in 2 Chr 1:1–13. (1 Kings, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 119 praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for people to live by.

* [Psalm 119] This Psalm, the longest by far in the Psalter, praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for people to live by. The author glorifies and thanks God for the Torah, prays for protection from sinners enraged by others’ fidelity to the law, laments the cost of obedience, delights in the law’s consolations, begs for wisdom to understand the precepts, and asks for the rewards of keeping them. Several expected elements do not appear in the Psalm: Mount Sinai with its story of God’s revelation and gift to Israel of instruction and commandments, the Temple and other institutions related to revelation and laws (frequent in other Psalms). The Psalm is fascinated with God’s word directing and guiding human life. (Psalms, PSALM 119 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans proclaims God’s Indomitable Love in Christ.

* [8:28–30] These verses outline the Christian vocation as it was designed by God: to be conformed to the image of his Son, who is to be the firstborn among many brothers (Rom 8:29). God’s redemptive action on behalf of the believers has been in process before the beginning of the world. Those whom God chooses are those he foreknew (Rom 8:29) or elected. Those who are called (Rom 8:30) are predestined or predetermined. These expressions do not mean that God is arbitrary. Rather, Paul uses them to emphasize the thought and care that God has taken for the Christian’s salvation.

* [8:28] We know that all things work for good for those who love God: a few ancient authorities have God as the subject of the verb, and some translators render: “We know that God makes everything work for good for those who love God….”

* [8:29] Image: while man and woman were originally created in God’s image (Gn 1:26–27), it is through baptism into Christ, the image of God (2 Cor 4:4; Col 1:15), that we are renewed according to the image of the Creator (Col 3:10). (Romans, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches more Parables and praises Treasures New and Old.

* [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.

* [13:44] In the unsettled conditions of Palestine in Jesus’ time, it was not unusual to guard valuables by burying them in the ground.

* [13:51] Matthew typically speaks of the understanding of the disciples.

* [13:52] Since Matthew tends to identify the disciples and the Twelve (see note on Mt 10:1), this saying about the Christian scribe cannot be taken as applicable to all who accept the message of Jesus. While the Twelve are in many ways representative of all who believe in him, they are also distinguished from them in certain respects. The church of Matthew has leaders among whom are a group designated as “scribes” (Mt 23:34). Like the scribes of Israel, they are teachers. It is the Twelve and these their later counterparts to whom this verse applies. The scribe…instructed in the kingdom of heaven knows both the teaching of Jesus (the new) and the law and prophets (the old) and provides in his own teaching both the new and the old as interpreted and fulfilled by the new. On the translation head of a household (for the same Greek word translated householder in Mt 13:27), see note on Mt 24:45–51. (Matthew, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB, n.d.)

Candice Tucci, OSF,  asks What is this pearl of great price or the treasure in the field?

I was walking up the hill to what is known as Merton’s Heart. It is a clearing on the hillside in the shape of a heart where Thomas Merton would go. Perhaps he went to pray, write, reflect or just enjoy the beauty of the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. While climbing to “the heart”, I found an eagle feather. My heart leapt as this sacred feather was a gift, a treasure in a field, that united me with the love and presence of God. For Native Americans, the eagle, waŋblíin (in the Lakota language) is a sacred messenger of Wakáŋ Táŋka (the Great Spirit) symbolizing the virtues of courage, strength, wisdom, and gifted with spiritual power.  It was 44 years ago I found this treasure in a field. I still have it. A gift given to me from our Creator. It is a symbol and always a reminder to me of my union with God, Jesus, the Spirit, who dwells within me.  Jesus has been my partner in life and ministry. We have walked the sacred path, the road of, in and to the Kingdom of God together. We continue to walk, as Black Elk, Sioux spiritual elder wrote, in a sacred manner.
 

Have you found the treasure that is yours forever? The Holy, Sacred Divine Kingdom?  Go deep into your heart. There the love of our Creator, in Christ and the Spirit, Wisdom, is waiting to be found. We seek the treasure and God finds us. We are God’s people, citizens of the kingdom of God. May we be attentive to this kingdom at hand and within us. It is for everyone and for us to nurture it.  It is for both the old and the new. May we be a civilization of love. May we know Wisdom. May we be heaven on earth!
Welcome to the kingdom! What a treasure!
Thank you, God!
A song for praying: I Found a Treasure - Dan Schutte (Tucci, 2026)
 

The Surpassing Treasure of God's Kingdom

Don Schwager quotes “The surpassing gift of love,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is said to be like a merchant who is seeking fine pearls. He finds one really precious pearl, and, having found it, he sells everything he has in order to buy it. In the same way, he who has a clear knowledge of the sweetness of heavenly life gladly leaves behind all the things he loved on earth. Compared with that pearl, everything else fades in value. He forsakes those things that he has and scatters those things that he has gathered. His heart yearns for heavenly things, and nothing on earth pleases him. The allure of earthly things has now dissipated, for only the brilliance of that precious pearl dazzles his mind. Solomon justly says of such love, 'Love is strong as death' (Song of Solomon 8:6 ), because just as death destroys the body, so ardent desire for eternal life cuts off the love for material things. For love makes insensitive to extraneous earthly desires the person whom it has swept off his feet." (excerpt from FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 11.2.1)(Schwager, n.d.)

Meditations may be freely reprinted for non-commercial use - please cite:  copyright © 2026 Servants of the Word, source:  dailyscripture.net, author Don Schwager.

Friar Jude Winkler reflects on the Readings for today.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 13:44-52 comments that we need to see Jesus’ teachings and his acts of healing and mercy in the light of God’s centuries-long covenant relationship with the people of Israel.

Christianity didn’t come from nowhere. It is a living outgrowth of everything that came before in God’s relationship with mankind, especially with Israel. If you want to see the richness of God’s plan, pay attention to the Old Testament! Matthew’s Gospel is a great resource. Keep your eyes open for the times when Jesus fulfills something that has been promised. Spend time praying with those passages. And become like a “scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven” by putting together the old and the new (Matthew 13:52).

“Jesus, I want to know the richness of all that you’ve done for me and for all people!” (Meditation on Matthew 13:44-52, n.d.)

In Love with Scripture

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, recalls how he first fell in love with Scripture and devoted himself to its study. Reading the Bible, we can recognize how true it is that only those who know their need for the Beloved know how to receive the gift of the Beloved without misusing such love. 

A mutually admitted emptiness is the ultimate safety net for all love, and in the Scriptures, even God is presented as somehow “needing” us, and even “jealous” for our love (Exodus 20:5; 34:14). Basically, love works only inside humility. My father, Saint Francis, fell in love with the “humility” of God, as exemplified through Jesus, a word that most of us would not even think could apply to God.

Fullness or complete self-satisfaction in a person cannot permit love because there are no openings, no give-and-take, and no deep hunger. It is like trying to attach two inflated balloons to one another. Human vulnerability gives the soul an immense head start on its travels—maybe the only start for any true spiritual journey. Thus, the Risen Christ starts us off by revealing the human wounds of God, God’s solidarity with human suffering. God begins with self-disclosure from the divine side, which ideally leads to self-disclosure from our side. (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the inspiration of the Spirit to ponder the healing of love and care we receive from Grandparents and the Elderly who share wisdom and understanding that shows how God turns all things to good through Love.

References

Matthew, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 26, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/13?44 

Meditation on Matthew 13:44-52. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved July 26, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/07/26/1631380/ 

1 Kings, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 26, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/3? 

Psalms, PSALM 119 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 26, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/119? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). In Love with Scripture. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 26, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/ 

Romans, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 26, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/8? 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Surpassing Treasure of God's Kingdom. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 26, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Tucci, C. (2026, July 26). Daily Reflection July 26, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved July 26, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-july-26-2026 

Awe and Action

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to respond to the declaration of Nathan to David “Its You” as we contemplate our responsibility in the turbulent seas of our daily voyage.

Action to Calm the Storm

The Reading from the Second Book of  Samuel presents Nathan’s Parable and David’s Repentance

* [12:1–7] David has committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged the death of her husband. Instead of directly indicting the king for this criminal abuse of his royal authority, the prophet Nathan tells David a story. In the story, a parable of David’s own actions, a powerful man takes cruel advantage of his vulnerable neighbor. Hearing the story, David is outraged and denounces the rich man—thus unwittingly pronouncing judgment on himself (“You are the man,” v. 7).

* [12:6] Fourfold restitution: David’s judgment foreshadows the deaths of four of his own sons: the child born of his adulterous union with Bathsheba (v. 18); Amnon (13:28–29); Absalom (18:15; 19:1); and Adonijah (1 Kgs 2:24–25).

* [12:11] In broad daylight: lit., “before the eyes of the sun”; the phrase echoes “before your very eyes” and anticipates “in the presence of the sun itself” (v. 12). The reference is to Absalom’s action in appropriating his father’s harem (16:22). (2 Samuel, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 51 prays for the removal of the personal and social disorders that sin has brought.

* [Psalm 51] A lament, the most famous of the seven Penitential Psalms, prays for the removal of the personal and social disorders that sin has brought. The poem has two parts of approximately equal length: Ps 51:3–10 and Ps 51:11–19, and a conclusion in Ps 51:20–21. The two parts interlock by repetition of “blot out” in the first verse of each section (Ps 51:3, 11), of “wash (away)” just after the first verse of each section (Ps 51:4) and just before the last verse (Ps 51:9) of the first section, and of “heart,” “God,” and “spirit” in Ps 51:12, 19. The first part (Ps 51:3–10) asks deliverance from sin, not just a past act but its emotional, physical, and social consequences. The second part (Ps 51:11–19) seeks something more profound than wiping the slate clean: nearness to God, living by the spirit of God (Ps 51:12–13), like the relation between God and people described in Jer 31:33–34. Nearness to God brings joy and the authority to teach sinners (Ps 51:15–16). Such proclamation is better than offering sacrifice (Ps 51:17–19). The last two verses express the hope that God’s good will toward those who are cleansed and contrite will prompt him to look favorably on the acts of worship offered in the Jerusalem Temple (Ps 51:19 [20–21]). (Psalms, PSALM 51 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus calms a Storm at Sea.

* [4:35–5:43] After the chapter on parables, Mark narrates four miracle stories: Mk 4:35–41; 5:1–20; and two joined together in Mk 5:21–43. See also notes on Mt 8:23–34 and 9:8–26.

* [4:39] Quiet! Be still!: as in the case of silencing a demon (Mk 1:25), Jesus rebukes the wind and subdues the turbulence of the sea by a mere word; see note on Mt 8:26.

* [4:41] Jesus is here depicted as exercising power over wind and sea. In the Christian community this event was seen as a sign of Jesus’ saving presence amid persecutions that threatened its existence. (Mark, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Steve Scholer comments that God wants us to follow with a heart open to his calling, an obedience demonstrated in how we live our lives in service to others, not just by attending Mass or reading daily devotions. How we conduct our daily affairs shows that we honor his authority and his commandments, and that we place our complete trust in God.

Obedience that is not simply adhering to rules but a conscience and willing submission of one’s will to God’s authority is what we should strive for. This type of obedience, based on love, is far better than one based on ritual. And if we choose to follow this path with a willing heart, we will have a closer and more personal relationship with God.

Obedience to God’s message for us must be truly from the heart and done with the intention to serve God, not out of fear, duty, or anticipated reward. For how we live our lives and immerse ourselves in helping those around is how best to be obedient to God’s will. (Scholer, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Awakening the Christ asleep within you,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"When you have to listen to abuse, that means you are being buffeted by the wind. When your anger is roused, you are being tossed by the waves. So when the winds blow and the waves mount high, the boat is in danger, your heart is imperiled, your heart is taking a battering. On hearing yourself insulted, you long to retaliate; but the joy of revenge brings with it another kind of misfortune - shipwreck. Why is this? Because Christ is asleep in you. What do I mean? I mean you have forgotten his presence. Rouse him, then; remember him, let him keep watch within you, pay heed to him... A temptation arises: it is the wind. It disturbs you: it is the surging of the sea. This is the moment to awaken Christ and let him remind you of those words: 'Who can this be? Even the winds and the sea obey him." (excerpt from Sermons 63:1-3) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 4:35-41 comments on “godly fear”. It’s a new recognition of God’s holiness, majesty, and power. This fear causes a new prayer to arise in our hearts. It’s a prayer of reverence that acknowledges God’s power and his sovereignty over all creation—and over our lives. This holy fear humbles us and moves us to surrender our concerns to him—and to trust in his wisdom. It tells us that this God, who loves us unconditionally, is utterly able to care for us and our loved ones, even if we don’t understand how he will do it.

Yes, Jesus is so powerful that the mighty winds and the churning seas of life obey him. But never forget that this holy, all-powerful God is your God and your Savior. He is in the boat with you. He is on your side. He will not let you sink. So cry out to him when you are afraid. But cry out in holy fear, trusting in him and surrendering to his care!

“Jesus, I trust in you and in your awesome power and authority over all creation!” (Meditation on Mark 4:35-41, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments in 2 Samuel Nathan advises David about the man with a little ewe lamb killed by the rich family “Who are the Man” “It’s you” God will send punishment in secret will be done in public The child of Bathsheba dies. David turns from sin and seeks mercy from the Lord. In Mark, we encounter the first of the series of nature, exorcisms, and healing miracles. First, He calms the sea, a reservoir of evil. In Calming the sea it shows Jesus' power over the demonic force in the sea, as spiritual forces. The disciples are filled with awe and wonder as Jesus does an exorcism and two healings. Friar Jude notes that, after all this, the people say “who does he think He is .“ In Nazareth they know Him too well.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Biblical scholars Christopher Hoklotubbe and Daniel Zacharias who describe an Indigenous way of reading the Bible as a circle or dance that makes room for all that is encouraging and difficult. As Oglala Lakota elder Black Elk wrote, “You will notice that everything the Indian does is in a circle … the power from the sacred hoop.”

The words of Scripture have become the wisdom of our adoptive elders and ancestors. The desire for the Scriptures to dominate as the sole authority, denigrating and replacing Indigenous cultural traditions, is a colonizing form of Christianity that Indigenous people the world over have encountered.

Indigenous followers of Christ do not enter into this relationship blissfully ignorant and unwilling to reckon with the sometimes harsh realities of the biblical text.… Indigenous encounters with the biblical text have not shied away from wrestling with and critiquing the biblical text. Jacob/Israel encountered God at Bethel and wrestled through the night with him (Genesis 32:22–31). He left the encounter with a blessing but also with a limp. The Scriptures today are like a modern-day Bethel for the family of faith—a place in which we encounter God and can leave the encounter blessed or bruised, sometimes both simultaneously. But in the midst of these encounters, we maintain our hope in the power of the “God-breathed” or “inspired” Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16) to give life to those who hold them as sacred. (Rohr, 2026)

Catholic theologian David Deane talks with Jeff Douglas, on CBC Mainstreet, about why so many American Christians support US President Donald Trump in spite of his sins. Deane cites the Biblical King David as a source of the American belief that good can come from evil actions by our leaders.

We are invited by the Spirit to meditate on the “storms” of fear, anxiety, despair, and isolation where we have experienced calming of the sea through awakening our relationship with Jesus.

References

Mark, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 31, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/4?35 

Meditation on Mark 4:35-41. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved January 31, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/01/31/1491045/ 

Psalms, PSALM 51 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 31, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/51?12 

Rohr, R. (2026, January 29). More than One Meaning — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 31, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/more-than-one-meaning/ 

Scholer, S. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved January 31, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-january-31-2026 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Why Are You Afraid? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 31, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

2 Samuel, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 31, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2samuel/12?1