Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
“Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” Matthew 13:44-52
The first parable is about a person finding treasure buried in a field. He so desires the treasure that he sells everything he has to obtain the land containing the treasure.
The parable poses a question for each of us:
Have I discovered the priceless treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven?
Am I willing to give up everything to attain it?
Like the man who happens to find the buried treasure, God’s grace can come upon us unexpectedly through prayer, a profound experience at Mass, an act of charity, or even during suffering. You may not be seeking divine treasure, yet in a moment of providence, the veil is lifted, and the glorious treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven is revealed. Once the treasure is discovered, the soul realizes that nothing else compares. From then on, the discoverer is moved to reorient their life to possess the treasure completely.
Many of us are like someone who hears of a treasure in a field. We go to the field to look but we spend little time searching. Though we may have heard about God’s Kingdom, until we discover it, we will not see the value of attaining it at any cost. If we make the initial discovery of the priceless treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven already here on earth and the fullness of His Kingdom in Heaven, then we will be willing to detach ourselves from every hindrance to grace, every sin, obsession, and distraction.
Reflect today on the glorious treasure, waiting to be discovered. Where are you on that journey of discovery? Have you heard of the priceless treasure of knowing, loving, and serving, God? If you have not, keep searching. If you have then consider your attachments and surrender them to God as nothing is too great to offer to God in exchange for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise