Seventeenth Sunday In Ordinary Time (Year A)

1 Kings 3:5,7-12
Romans 8:28-30
Matthew 13:44-52

THE ULTIMATE SEARCH:
PRAY AND BE WISE

We continue the series of parables by which Jesus taught the crowds who were following Him together with His disciples about the kingdom of heaven and today we have three parables showing further aspects of this kingdom. The parable of the fishing net which encloses both good fish and bad that we have in today’s gospel is similar to last week’s parable of the field with wheat and weeds growing together. Here are also some other similarities we can highlight; the kingdom is shown to contain both good and evil, and there is to be a judgment at some time in the future., and for the present, both are together until God’s time is achieved. Similarly, in last week’s parable series, this was described in the parable as being when the field was ripe for harvest; today’s parable shows the fishermen waiting until the net is full before the separation takes place. In both instances, the judgement is based on the reaction of the hearers to the kingdom which Jesus is proclaiming. The mixture of good and bad comes about because some people accept and others reject the gospel.

In today’s parables, the reaction of the person discovering the treasure is the same – he sells all that he has in order to obtain it. This shows two attitudes that are necessary to gain the treasure – detachment, the willingness to give up all that we already have, and generosity in offering it all up to God. Renunciation of everything which holds us back from the treasure of the kingdom is the essential first step. There are many things which can hold us back, but they can all be summed up in one word – self. We must be free from attachment to self so that we can become free for attachment to Christ. If we are not free in this way, we may not even recognize the treasure when we find it. Concern with self will impair our perception of the reality of the kingdom, of the treasure that is being offered to us.

Although, these two parables are very alike, it is worth noting the differences between them: in the first, we have a treasure hidden in the field, which perhaps illustrates the great abundance and variety of gifts which are part of the inheritance we share when we accept the kingdom. In the second, there is a single pearl, illustrating the great beauty of the truths of the kingdom. And the treasure in the field is stumbled upon, by accident, whereas the pearl has been sought after; but in both instances the finder is filled with joy. Faith and the desire for heaven are things which are sometimes discovered suddenly and unexpectedly, and sometimes after much searching.

This latter route is the one followed by King Solomon in the first reading -he was rewarded by God with great wisdom as a result of his desire for it, his search for it, his acknowledgement of his need for it. And, above all, he was given this wisdom because his search was in accord with God’s will for him. The short extract from St Paul’s letter to the Romans teaches us that it is God’s will to co-operate with those who love him. Solomon loved God and so received this co-operation. Those who accept the Gospel of the kingdom are in God’s plan – they will be conformed to the image of his Son, by following Him and modelling themselves on Him and His teaching, and so will be justified by Jesus’ death and come to share His glory.

More importantly, the first two parables show what should be the response to the kingdom – joy. The kingdom is like treasure hidden in a field, or like a specially valuable pearl. But these parables highlight a mystery which underlies the mixture of the good and the bad in the parable of the fishing net – if the kingdom is so valuable, why do some people reject it?
We read these things so no one can say they were not aware. There are no excuses, just these facts – God wants us to repent, to live righteous lives, to forgive, to live simplistically, and to offer our lives to him completely. Every, Christian, therefore, who has received Christ’s teaching, has a duty to pass on this teaching to others. In order to be able to do this, we have to study and learn the teaching ourselves; we all have to be sure that we have a sound grasp of the teaching. At the end of today’s Gospel reading, Jesus asked his disciples, “Have you understood all this?” If we are going to be able to say, ‘Yes’ with the disciples, then we must always be willing to pray with King Solomon: ‘Give me an understanding mind that I may discern what is right.’

Fr Joseph Osho