The Diocese of Arlington is incredibly blessed to have priests like Father Michael Kelly. I was reminded of this when I heard his homily on yesterday’s Gospel, which was about what it means to be a disciple. In the Gospel, Jesus says (Matthew 13:44-46):
“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.”
So it is with the Kingdom of Heaven. If we sell our souls a little bit, we’ve sold the Pearl completely. There’s no taking 99% of the Gospel and 1% of sin. We can’t say, “God, I’ll give you this, that, and the other thing, but on this one tiny issue, I’m going to remain in control, and you’ll have to take a backseat.” You’re trying to buy the pearl for less than its selling price. It’s selling price is everything you have, and even the merchant can’t talk that price down. And if you already have the Kingdom of Heaven, if you’re already saved, and you decide to sell that salvation for one small thing — a grudge you don’t want to let go of, some sinful desire of the flesh, the glamour of pride, whatever it is — you’re selling the entire pearl, just for that single dollar. Father Kelly also said this (I’m paraphrasing from memory), on the image of the Kingdom of God as a treasure:
The first time I thought seriously about discipleship was when I was in a men’s small prayer group. The small group leader quoted this passage: “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.” He then asked the men in the group: what is it in your life that’s your treasure? What is there that you’re willing to give up all that you have in order to possess it? Unsurprisingly, men were answering “Jesus.” The small group leader was ready for this.
So he said, “let’s look at the reverse, the un-discipleship.” Judas betrays Jesus, by selling Him out for thirty pieces of silver (Mt. 27:3). He then asked: what would you sell Jesus out for? At this point, the men are much more visibly struggling: would they compromise their faith in Christ if their faith stood in the way at fame and fortune? Of course, they’d like to think not, but…
At this point, the group leader interjected a third time. “Think about the last mortal sin you commit. That’s what you sold Christ out for.”
It’s interesting to note as well that the man who finds the treasure doesn’t take it; he buys the WHOLE field where that treasure is.
Great commentary on these parables, especially the end!
I think it’s important to note that giving all that you have to gain the pearl may not be enough, but our individual willingness repent, through the atonement, pays for the portion we were unable to provide.
Jennae
I was going to blog about the Gospel reading at Mass yesterday and touch on what our priest talked about in his homily – but I think I’ll just refer everyone to your post.
It was so fitting that this was the reading this weekend, because I am struggling with a family member who obviously likes to partake in sinful desire of the flesh, so I confronted her on it. She doesn’t see though that selling Jesus out. It’s been difficult but because I love and care for her I brought this all up.
Our deacon gave a great homily on the field with the treasure. He pointed out that the man finds the treasure and hides it again, then purchases the field and in doing so, he acquires the treasure for a mere pittance. However, he also pointed out that, according to Mosaic Law, the land would eventually revert back to the original owner. The man may not keep the land; he only keeps what he is able to get from the land.
Our lives are like that. We get the field for a short time and it will be required of us at some time and we have no right to refuse. However, if we till the soil and cultivate it and nurture it, not only will it bear fruit (temporal blessings), but we will discover the treasure which we can keep when the field is no longer ours (treasure in Heaven). But we can only keep the portion of the treasure that we find. We have no claim on the treasure we do not find when the field is asked of us again.
This was only a small part of the homily, which covered the entire chapter and was quite beautiful. I wish I could remember all of it in detail.
The pearl of great price series http://sabbathsermons.com/2012/12/21/the-pearl-of-great-price-in-the-hour-of-temptation/