A Letter from Fr. Paul - Sunday, July 30th

An obvious theme of the parables of the treasure buried in  a field and the pearl of great price, which we hear in our Gospel this weekend, is that we will go after something that we value. The Kingdom of God is something that, as Christians, we would obviously say is valuable and we would “sell everything we have” to get it.
 
But while these two parables have the same basic message, there is a big difference between them.  In the one parable, the person “searches” for the pearl.  He knows what he wants and he is going after it. In terms of my relationship with God and His Kingdom, this would be when I am praying, reading the bible, attending Mass,
receiving the sacraments, using a significant portion of my resources for charitable causes, etc.  I know what I am after and I am doing my best to obtain it.  I am “searching” for what I value and want.
 
In the other parable, the person “finds” the treasure hidden in the field.  There is no indication that he was “searching” for it: he came upon it by chance.  In terms of my relationship with God and His Kingdom, this would be similar to serendipitous experiences that bring me closer to God or help me to feel God’s presence in my life, like a beautiful sunset or an unexpected call from an old friend or a thank you note that shares a life-changing effect I had on someone’s life.  I am “finding” or “coming across” God in my life.
 
The bottom line is that we can be confident because God is in charge.  Whether or not we are actively looking for Him in a particular moment or not, God is always looking for us.  For God, we are a pearl of great price. Let’s do our best to make Him a pearl of great price as well.
 
God bless.
 
Church sign of the week: In high tide or low tide, God is always by your side.