Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Buried Treasure
Other Celebrations for this Day:
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. Jeremiah is the first prophet to call God to account. Since he has given his life to God and his God-given mission, how come that he has to suffer so much to do God’s work? God’s answer is: Be converted. Trust in God, even in your doubt, and continue your mission. It is our lot and way to live with doubts and problems, and still to trust God. He is with us, even if we do not see it. That, precisely, is faith.
Gospel. The two parables of today’s stress, each in its own way, teach that one should give up everything in order to possess the kingdom. In the first parable, the kingdom is the treasure; in the second, it is not the pearl, not the thing, but the person in constant search of it. Our search should concern the things that really matter: God’s reign among people, which, in response to God’s grace, we prepare through our love, our justice, our service, our compassion and forgiveness, by which we let Christ’s death and resurrection become a reality in our day. But it is a search – an ongoing quest, never fully achieved, but always, so we hope, in growth and progress.
Opening Prayer
Lord God, our Father,
our heart remains restless
until it has discovered the peace you offer us
in your Son Jesus Christ.
Help us to put our trust and joy
not in brittle, perishable things
but in your Son, his good news
and the kingdom he came to build among us.
Make us poor and receptive,
give each of us an attentive and wise heart
that keeps seeking until we have found you
in Jesus and in people,
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
First Reading
Jeremiah’s Confessions: Vocational Crisis
Woe is me, my Mother, why did you bring me into the world? A man of discord throughout the land! I owe them nothing; neither do they owe me, yet they all curse me!
I devoured your words when they came. They were my happiness and I felt full of joy when you made your name rest on me.
I never associate with worldly people, amusing myself with scoffers! When your hand was upon me, I stood apart and you filled me with your anger.
Why is there no end to my sorrow or healing for my wound? Why do you deceive me, and why does my spring suddenly dry up?
Then the Lord spoke to me, “If you return, I will accept you back and you will serve me again. Draw the gold from the dross and you will be as my own mouth. You must draw them to you and not go over to them.
I will make you a fortress and a wall of bronze to face them; if they fight against you, they will not overcome you.
I am with you to free you and save you. I will redeem you from the wicked and save you from the hands of tyrants.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18
R. (17d) God is my refuge on the day of distress.
Rescue me from my enemies, O my God;
from my adversaries defend me.
Rescue me from evildoers;
from bloodthirsty men save me.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
mighty men come together against me,
Not for any offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! for you I watch;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
As for my God, may his mercy go before me;
may he show me the fall of my foes.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
But I will sing of your strength
and revel at dawn in your mercy;
You have been my stronghold,
my refuge in the day of distress.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! your praise will I sing;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
my merciful God!
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Parable of the Hidden Treasure
The kingdom of heaven is like a hidden treasure in a field. The person who finds it buries it again, and so happy is he that he sells everything he has to buy that field.
Parable of the Fine Pearl
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a trader searching for fine pearls.
Once he finds a pearl of exceptional quality, he leaves, sells everything he has, and buys it.
Prayers of the Faithful
– For all Christians, that they may hold dear their faith and their life in Christ and keep living up to their convictions, we pray:
– For the leaders of nations, that as they work for prosperity and progress they may not lose sight of what is essential, that is: people, and the deepest human values, we pray:
– For our young people, that their parents and the Church may hand on to them their living faith and the spirit to serve God and people well, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
create between you and us
a holy communion of love.
Come among us in Jesus Christ
in this eucharist and in daily life
and reign in us, take possession of us,
to rule and forgive, to sanctify and enlighten,
to lead us and to renew us by your grace.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
in this eucharistic celebration
you have again given us your own Son.
Let him nourish in us the growth of your kingdom.
May he open our eyes to the goodness
and yet the relative value of the things of this earth
and let him help us realize
that our human personality and existence
is nothing else than the concrete manner
in which you call us
and in which we respond to your call
to build up your kingdom.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Blessing
We know we are dear to God. May God and our faith and God’s kingdom be our joy and treasure. May God be our happiness and may he bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Sprit.
REFLECTIONS
Matthew 13:44-46
The paradox of giving up everything to gain everything!
Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Companions of Jesus - the Jesuits.
In ancient times, wealthy individuals used to hide their valuables under the fields during times of war to save them from invaders and hope to recover them later. The parable in today’s Gospel is about a man who finds such a treasure in a field, hides it again, and then makes enough money to buy the field where the treasure is hidden.
Jesus speaks about the treasure of the kingdom of heaven, which has an incalculable value and is only gradually discovered by people. The text emphasizes the importance of making quick and decisive decisions so that we do not miss out on opportunities to meet with the Lord. We are not asked to give up just something but everything – to sell all that we have - to obtain the real treasure of God’s Kingdom.
A similar reaction is found in the parable of the pearl. The merchant who finds it purchases it, disregarding its cost, and certainly this was not for resale! This is what happened to Paul, who , on his way to Damascus, encountered Christ. And later, he would explain that encounter in this way: “But once I found Christ, I have let everything fall away, and I now consider all as garbage, if instead, I may gain Christ” (Phil 3:7-8).
The two parables go hand in hand: On one side, the Kingdom of God is a gift from God, and on the other side, it is also a result of human effort.