July 26, 2026: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Matthew 13:44-46

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.”

Reflection

In the three brief sentences of today’s Gospel, Matthew offers us an experience of the Kin-dom of God that is pure celebration. He has Jesus showing us that discovering and embracing the treasure that is the Reign of God generates overwhelming transformative joy in the lives of God’s creatures.

Both the laborer and the pearl merchant, in their own distinctive ways, had an insatiable desire to acquire the accidently discovered hidden treasure and the singularly unsurpassed pearl. Once discovered, they zealously engaged in all the actions needed to acquire their hearts’ desire.

They let go of many things, selling all that they had to buy that field and to buy that specific pearl. They needed to trust that the treasure was genuine and that their commitment to it was indeed what they sought.

As I reflected on this passage, I believe Jesus is inviting us who are seeking the Kin-dom, to consider if we have an unquenchable longing for God. Do we value God most of all in our lives? Are we actively looking for God? And, if so, where are we looking?

Our practices might be engaging in personal prayer, experiencing the richness of Sacred Scripture, sharing in the Sacramental life of the Catholic tradition, looking to the lives of the holy women and men who have preceded us in life and those among us who are living the Gospel in the here and now.

Are we open to experiencing God’s presence in our neighbor, those near and those far, serving them and allowing them to share their experience of God’s presence in their lives with us?

Action

The traditional view of this Gospel passage is that both the person who finds the treasure and the merchant searching for the desired gem represent us yearning for God and the Kin-dom.

Perhaps consider another perspective: That we are Jesus’ sought after treasure. Pray with John 3:16, and envisage that the God who gave the Beloved Son to us, has lovingly made each of us the Divine heart’s everlasting priority.