July 26, 2026. 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Readings: 1 Kings 3:5,7-12; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52 

What is your buried Treasure?

1.    Several years ago, a geologist named Dr. John T. Williamson was doing some work in Tanzania. One day, he found himself driving in a deserted area, slipping and sliding along a rain-soaked road. Suddenly, his four-wheel drive vehicle sank up to its axles in the mud and got stuck. Pulling out his shovel, Dr. Williamson began the unpleasant task of digging out of a mud hole. He had been at it for a while when his shovel uncovered something strange. It was a pink-like stone of some sort. Being a geologist and naturally curious about rock formations, he picked it up and wiped away the mud. The more mud he recovered, the more excited he became, and he could hardly believe what he saw. When the stone was finally clean, Dr. Williamson was beside himself with joy. He had discovered a diamond. Now, any diamond at all would be a surprise in that situation, but Dr. Williamson found what became known as the famous pink diamond of Tanzania. That stone today sits in the royal scepter of Great Britain, and Dr. Williamson is famous around the world for his find – as accidental as it may have been.

2.    This story illustrates the point Jesus raised in today’s Gospel. He likened the kingdom of heaven to a treasure buried in a field or a pearl of great price, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. These parables were perfectly natural and easily understood by the people of Palestine in the days of Jesus, and even by many people in the rural areas of the world. In those days, there were banks, but not banks for ordinary people. Ordinary people would rather use the ground as the safest place to keep their most cherished belongings. Recall the parable of the talent in Matthew 25:25. The man who received one talent buried it in the ground and later brought it out to the master when asked for it. It was common practice for people to hide their valuables in the ground before they took to flight during war, in the hope that the day would come when they could return and regain them. It was, therefore, easy for someone to stumble on a buried treasure in the field or find a pearl of great price buried in the field. A merchant would hide the pearl and sell all he had to buy it.

3.    We live in a world full of wants, needs, desires, and undue expectations. We are never satisfied with what we have, and so, we are in search of something better. We want a better house, a better car, a comfortable life, and the best for our children. Nothing seems to quench our desire for more. No matter what we own, it is never enough, so we pray for more – the more the merrier. If we do not get what we need on our own, we take it to the Lord in prayer and ask for divine intervention. In the first reading, Solomon appealed to the Lord for help. He had just succeeded his father, David, as king of Israel. To begin his reign, Solomon prayed for an understanding heart, so that he could reign well. Of all that Solomon could have asked for, he prayed for wisdom. With the wisdom that comes from God, he will lead the people according to God’s heart. God was pleased with his request, “Because you have asked for this – not for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right – I do as you requested. In addition, I give you what you have not asked for, such riches and glory that among kings there is not your like” (1 Kings 3:11-13).

 

4.    What do we pray for? It is important to pray with the right intention at the right time. Sometimes we pray for too many intentions at a time.  We seem to forget that God, our Father, knows our every need. He will provide for us whether we ask for it or not. Jesus even tells us what to ask for in prayer. “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Lk. 11:13). He tells us how to pray: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matt. 6:7-8). After all, “All things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28). St. Paul reminds us that “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groaning.” Our prayer should be well thought out, and our intentions few.  Think of what to do if your prayers are answered or not. Can you handle all that you ask for? Solomon did not pray for himself but for others. The gift of wisdom bestowed on him was to help him continue his task of governance and be an effective and good leader. He was enabled to rule wisely and to establish a kingdom of love, justice, and peace. What do you do with your gifts and blessings? Do you use them for the glory of God and for the good of others?

5.    What we need in life is simple: to be happy, to be at peace with God and others, to do right, to love justice, and to walk humbly before God. Seek the revelation of the truth, the knowledge of what is good, and abhor evil in all its ramifications. Work earnestly towards your life with God in his kingdom, where you hope, one day, to behold his face. This is the hidden treasure. This is the pearl of great price. Until you find these treasures, your hearts will be empty, and your needs will never be satisfied. How do we find these treasures? You were given the tools on the day of Baptism. You were clothed with white garments, given a lighted candle as your guide, and the word of God as your shield.  It is by going about the normal business that you find the treasure; it is when you trip and fall while doing your work that you find the gold of eternal life. The treasure is found by sheer luck. The one who finds it sells all that he has to purchase the field where it is buried. Symbolically, this implies that becoming a member of the kingdom of heaven is a sheer gift of the Lord. He decides who will receive the treasure. The treasure is not given for an individual’s benefit. The recipient has to share it with others so that the kingdom can grow. It is the same with the pearl of great price. The one who finds it goes and sells all he has to buy it. The kingdom of God is not a mere substitute for something else; it is the finest possession that gives life, and it is worth selling all that one has to purchase it. It is the real possession that will give us eternal life, joy, and peace.

6.    Finally, these parables describe different ways in which people find the kingdom. By chance, by diligent search, and by careful discernment. No matter which way one finds it, what is important and necessary is the wisdom to recognize the surpassing worth of the kingdom and be part of it. May the Eucharist we celebrate, our daily prayer, our sacrifices, and our witnessing to the gospel direct us to find the hidden treasure in our world.    

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP