THE BEAUTY OF SACRIFICE - 07/30/23 (Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

From the Gospel according to Matthew

Mt 13:44-52

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."

Reflection:

"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.” Matthew 13:44. This is only one verse and one sentence of the Gospel today yet; it summarizes all we need to have in order to receive the gift of salvation from God – sacrifice. Jesus is our Treasure buried in a field. We need to give up things in order to attain Him. We need to sacrifice all that we are, have, and are for God if we desire to follow Him. The faith journey is never easy.

We know or we do not know, but all graces, good things in heaven and on earth, and all the beauty that we see around us is from God. Even the people we admire, all their gifts, intellect, and talents are from God. Our admiration for people and things on Earth should lead us to God. No one is good on its own without God. So, what does it say about God, our Maker? That He is the One and all that we will ever desire in our life. That He is everything that we want and need. He is the fulfillment of the very longing that we have deep in our hearts whether we admit it or not. We can search in vain for our happiness by seeking it from the world. But no one can satisfy us like the Lord. We can seek the highest educational attainment we can get in the world, but no wisdom or knowledge can surpass the wisdom of God which He bestows in His beloved. It is not worldly, it does not fade away, but it brings us to everlasting life such as the knowledge of sin, and His commandments and teachings.

Which shall we choose? The one that gives us instant gratification such as money, fame, and achievements in life but they will pull us away from God? Or one that is without the full reward on earth, full of sacrifices but we can have eternal bliss with God? We can have everything we want and need in heaven – the Lord Himself. Our life on Earth is supposed to be only a journey toward Heaven because nothing here is permanent. To gain this eternal life with Him, we have to give up all that is required to follow Him and to love and serve Him through others and the poor. What can we give to God in order to have our happily ever after in Heaven? His is not a fairy tale, unlike others. This is the truth. All things will pass on earth, and what matters, in the end, is the salvation of our souls which is our final resting place. May we choose wisely according to God’s will and may we by His grace, have the courage to sacrifice for the Kingdom of God. Amen. + 

Source:

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/word-of-the-day.html

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth