FOR THE PRICELESS REWARD
Our
First Reading today from the prophet Jeremiah contains that
often-quoted verse: “When I found your words, I devoured them; they
became my joy and the happiness of my heart.” The use of the verb
“devour” is most interesting. Just like a hungry person who has been
graciously treated to a delicious and sumptuous eat-all-you-can dinner,
we too should display an equally unabashed and joyful devotion to God’s
Word.
In today’s Gospel reading, there is that joyful and almost reckless
eagerness by the man and the merchant who, upon their respective discoveries,
immediately sold whatever they had and worked on their investments,
just so they could obtain the treasure or the pearl. There may have been
risks involved, but they really don’t matter. Nothing will stop the
discoverers, and they are even in a hurry lest someone else grab the
opportunity from them.
The object of the pursuit is truly worth it. The Gospel speaks of a
treasure and a pearl of great price. In the First Reading, on the other
hand, God promises to make of us “a solid wall of brass” to the people.
He assures us, “though they fight against you, they shall not prevail.”
Recklessness does have its rewards, most especially from God who alone
is deserving of our trust. He has done everything for us. We don’t even
need to travel the seven seas and to search all over the world to find
the treasure. We don’t even need to calculate the costs of the
investment. The value of everything else has been relativized in favor
of the one and only treasure. Against the Kingdom of God, all else is
rubbish. It alone is the pièce de résistance worth devouring. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB
REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Have you found the Pearl of Great Price in your life? How are you taking care that you don’t lose Him?
Lord,
thank You for being in my life. Thank You for allowing me to find You,
my greatest treasure, in the midst of all the rubbish in the world.
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