Treasures are of great value, no argument here. And the treasures that we often have in mind are almost impossible to find. If it really exists, given a glimmer of hope, we will persevere through challenging conditions just to try to get our hands on it. Today we hear that this treasure is indeed real, and within reach. This treasure is a meaningful and fulfilling life that gives constant happiness and inner peace even if we are suffering one thing or another through life.

Living a good life, always looking out first for the other person, is never easy. The emotional conditions we need to go through are steeply challenging. The price to buy is high, seemingly so. The good news today is that this treasure is real for all of us. There is enough of it and all of us can afford it. But yes, conditions are challenging but we will get help. Living a good life, following Christ, lead us to the treasure of peace. How valuable is this in this new normal from this pandemic?

“‘Since you have asked for this’ the Lord said ‘and not asked for long life for yourself or riches or the lives of your enemies, but have asked for a discerning judgement for yourself, here and now I do what you ask. I give you a heart wise and shrewd as none before you has had and none will have after you.’” (Today’s First Reading)

The currency we need to purchase this treasure of peace is the wisdom of Solomon. To barter for this wisdom, Solomon gave up hoarding his own life. He neither chose riches to put him ahead of others or revenge to set others back. This is the path of self-giving that will lead us to the treasure. Self-giving is always putting the other person first. And that is emotionally challenging.

Like a treasure hunt, we get clues along the path. Every little act of self-giving gives us a little satisfaction, contrary perhaps to what we expect of the cost to self. Satisfaction, like yeast ferments fulfilment. This is the help we get along the path as we make our way through our emotions of letting go of self, this taste of fulfilment that gives us the hint of peace.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. This is how it will be at the end of time: the angels will appear and separate the wicked from the just to throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.” (Today’s Gospel)

Sometimes along the path of life, we get the clues wrong. We will make wrong choices. It is not easy living this life of self-giving. Like the wheat and darnel last week, today God reminds us that not once along this path will we be judged or condemned. That will only happen at the end of our life. This is the help we are given, as many clues as we need. The helpline here is the prayer of Solomon, to ask God for the gift of wisdom.

This pandemic with all its consequences has charged up the emotional conditions. But in each suffering, there is opportunity. Clues abound. The lesson from this pandemic is that humanity must act together. We are in this together. Simply put, to save our self, we must save the other first. Always look out for one another. This treasure of peace is real and available to all. No one need to lose out. The choice is ours, like it was Solomon’s. This is the wisdom of God.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.” (Today’s Gospel)

17th Ordinary Sunday

We are in extraordinary times. As we attempt to exit our lockdowns, a grim picture is emerging. Some are exiting without loved ones, many without jobs. Familiar shops and cafes that were closed will never reopen. Social and economic issues are growing alongside this pandemic. This extraordinary time is proving to be more difficult and increasingly more challenging. The next 6 months, at least, will be very tough. This now, is our world.

“The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world”. (Today’s Gospel)

We all have a seed of good in each of us. When church doors closed, we were left outside. We were unable to go for Mass. “Mass” is from the Latin words, “Ite, missa est”, proclaimed when we are dismissed at the end of our Catholic liturgy urging us to go forth into the world; sent into the field to grow as wheat sown by Christ. In these extraordinary times, the doors were closed to let the kingdom of heaven out.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the biggest shrub of all and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and shelter in its branches.”

After our last mass before the lockdown, we are this small seed sown by Christ into the challenging conditions of the field. We ourselves are not spared the hardships. But hardships tend to take away, very gradually and reluctantly, every dependence we have in this world to leave us just dependent on God. Life experiences are fertile soil for the good in us to grow. Tough experiences, especially bitter ones can stay with us a long time. But in this time, our spiritual life is fermented and the seed of good germinates in us.

These are indeed extraordinary times. The church doors are closed but the mass, the source and summit of our faith, can be celebrated in the harsh realities of these challenging times. The pandemic has repeatedly told us that all humanity is one and we must look out for one another. Our faith tells us that we are part of this one Body of Christ. Our prayers and worship take the practical form of little acts of love and compassion. Little acts, individual persons, small seeds, collectively grow to become the biggest tree to shelter and give rest to many people who are challenged.

This is the kingdom of God made present to our world today. We are this wheat to give food to the hungry. We are this seed growing in our own hardships to become a tree for others to shelter. We are the church, always meant to be outside the building to be in the lives of others. These closed doors have left us so.

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sown into each of us is a seed of faith. Then we are scattered into the world into every level of status and wealth, and into all sorts of situations. This seed is in every facet of human life, no ground unseeded. This faith is to make a difference in a world slaved to decadence (Second Reading). We are planted into lives of others for the purpose of becoming sowers of the Good News.

We cannot escape this slavery to decadence. Our own lives are constantly caught between worldly and spiritual desires. Unfortunately, they pull us in opposite directions causing us to groan inwardly. This happens to us every day. Sometimes we have a choice but many times we do not. And situations take us into fields we did not choose to go. So even though we have this seed of faith is us, our faith is like a pendulum swinging between doubt and hope.

This seed of faith is faith given to us to help us make our way through life, to understand the sufferings that come our way. I think that what we suffer in this life can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us (Second Reading). Being human, we are tested not by God but by events that happen to us. God in turn use these events to grow the seed in us as we oscillate between pain and joy in daily life.

It is within our human nature to always stumble. And it is within our spiritual nature to be always returning to our Creator. So, we cannot be disheartened when our faith swings like a pendulum. We will swing between being interested and disinterested in our faith life, as we are attracted or distracted. As we oscillate between revenge and forgiveness, we fall into sin and rise by the grace of God. We leave the Church, but we will return.

In these swings, our seed grow. Despairing times are fertile grounds for faith to grow. Often in despairing circumstance we feel alone, left behind by the world. In this extreme swing into doubt, we will desperately in our nature reach out for hope. It is in our empty tomb where we will encounter the Risen Christ. Only from experiences will we understand with our heart and be converted and healed (Today’s Gospel).

Our faith life is also this pendulum swing between seed and sower. As seed grow, we become more sower; sower to make a difference to the lives we are placed amidst. Our seed grows as we understand with our heart. Our roots reach deeper with each experience. As we grow in conviction, we will not be choked by worries of this world or lured by its riches. Our seed will grow till it yields a harvest and now produces a hundredfold.

We all have this seed in us. The purpose of our life is to sow this seed of faith into the lives of others, as we together make our way through the pains of our daily life. Our purpose is served when the word that goes forth from my mouth does not return to me empty (First Reading). As the pendulum swing, be heartened that challenging experiences in life is the most fertile soil for seed to grow.

Slide used for a retreat. Pendulum photo taken off the internet with thanks.

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Somewhere in us there is a sweet spot of peace. This spot is like a shelter. It shields us from the pressure, stress and worries that comes from living our worldly life. Under it we are always calm. It is a spot to retreat into when we are burdened by our load of responsibilities and troubled by unfulfilled expectations. The peace and calm give us confidence, an assured knowing that the storms in life will blow over. Here we are blessed with a patient wait and healing rest.

“Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.” (Today’s Gospel)

This sweet spot beckons us. “Come to me”. We must have the intent to go to it. We can be saddled with many challenges in life. Unable to cope we become overburdened. We are saddled because we are not spiritually prepared and do not want these challenges. When we are overburdened, we are crushed by its weight. Our intent to reach the peace within us must begin with an intention to consciously take up our daily challenges.

Christ said, “Take up your cross and follow me”. “Take up” requires our personal intent. When we are prepared for something heavy, we carry it better. Sometimes we mistake taking up the cross as suffering. Suffering comes when our burdens crush us, but even when that happens, today tell us there is peace in suffering. Today, we are invited to come and take up the yoke of Christ. “Shoulder my yoke and learn from me”.  No one breezes through life. Daily life challenges are inevitable. Life must be ploughed through.

Today’s passage tells us of rest stops for our spirit as we make our way through our responsibilities and expectations. Intentionally shouldering the yoke of Christ is telling ourselves that the goal of our earthly life is to reach the riches of heaven. It rearranges our life priorities and readjust our focus. Then as we make our way through our day, we must seek the presence of the Risen Christ who is always present accompanying us on our journey through life. We must look for him in the moments of time so that we can learn from him. To find peace and rest, we must with intent shift our focus onto our spiritual life.

“Your interests are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you.” (Second Reading).

There will always exist a tension between our spiritual and unspiritual world, our spiritual need, and our worldly needs. And life will get tougher before it gets any easier as we exit the lockdowns. In this tension we find ourselves searching and seeking for meaning in all this. We will hear our inner voice trying to pull us one way when we want to go the other way. Pay attention and listen. It is probably saying, “Come to me”.

Take up and shoulder that yoke with intent and the load we must carry through daily life will be lighter for my yoke is easy, my burden light.

14^th Sunday in Ordinary Time