17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Gospel Invites Us Not Merely to Seek Treasure: But to Become Citizens of the Treasure Itself
(Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Mathew 13:44-52, 26 July 2026)
The brief similes proposed in today’s liturgy conclude the chapter of the Gospel of Matthew dedicated to the parables of the Kingdom of God (Mathew13:44-52). Among these are two small masterpieces: the parables of the treasure hidden in the field and of the pearl of great value. They tell us that the discovery of the Kingdom of God can happen suddenly like the farmer who, ploughing, finds an unexpected treasure; or after a long search, like the pearl merchant who eventually finds the most precious pearl, so long dreamt of. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 2014)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesu Christ,
The Human Heart Is Always Searching-The brief similes proposed in today’s liturgy conclude the chapter of the Gospel of Matthew dedicated to the parables of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 13:44–52). Among these are two small masterpieces: the parables of the treasure hidden in the field and of the pearl of great value. They tell us that the discovery of the Kingdom of God can happen suddenly, like the farmer who, while ploughing, finds an unexpected treasure; or after a long search, like the merchant who eventually finds the precious pearl for which he has long been searching. As Pope Francis reflected, the Kingdom may be discovered unexpectedly, or it may be the result of a long and patient search. These two parables reveal something essential about the human person: every human life is a search for a treasure. We search for security, love, recognition, success, happiness, and peace. Beneath these desires lies a deeper question: What is truly worthy of my life? The human person cannot live without some treasure. We are always giving our hearts to something. Some place their treasure in wealth, others in reputation, power, comfort, success, family, or independence. The question is not whether we have a treasure. The question is: What do we consider worthy of giving our life to? Saint Augustine understood the deepest truth of this search when he wrote: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” The human heart is restless because it is made for something greater than anything created. The tragedy is that we often seek infinite happiness in finite things. We ask possessions to give us security, success to give us identity, and other people to give us a completeness that only God can provide. The Gospel announces that the deepest treasure is not something but Someone: Jesus Christ Himself.
The Hidden Treasure: God Is Present in the Ordinary-Jesus says: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.” The treasure is present, but hidden. This is one of the great mysteries of faith. God is often present without being immediately obvious. His grace is working even when we cannot see what He is doing. The Kingdom of God often grows quietly beneath the surface of ordinary life. The farmer does not discover the treasure by travelling to some extraordinary place. He finds it in the field where he is already working. This speaks directly to our lives. We sometimes imagine that God can be found only in extraordinary experiences. We wait for a miracle or a dramatic sign. But the Gospel reminds us that God may be hidden in the ordinary soil of daily life. God may be hidden in family responsibilities, in the patient care of the elderly, in the suffering of the sick, in the quiet sacrifice of a parent, or in the loneliness of someone who feels forgotten. God may even be hidden in the struggles of a parish. We may see empty pews and see only decline. God may see an invitation to renewed faithfulness. We may see people who are absent and conclude that they no longer care. God may see people still waiting to be welcomed. We may see aging, sickness, and weakness. God may see hidden wisdom, prayer, sacrifice, and holiness. We may look at our own lives and see failures and disappointments. God may see soil in which new life can still grow. The Kingdom is hidden because God often works beneath the surface. Faith requires us to believe that what is hidden is not necessarily absent. The treasure is there. But we must learn to see.
The Joy of Discovering What Is Worth Everything-The farmer discovers the treasure and sells everything he has to buy the field. The Gospel says that he does so with joy. This detail is essential. He does not sacrifice everything because everything else is worthless. He sacrifices everything because he has discovered something worth more than everything else. This is the difference between Christian sacrifice and mere religious obligation. If Christianity is reduced to rules, duties, and burdens, faith eventually becomes exhausting. But if we discover Christ as the treasure, sacrifice receives a new meaning. The Christian does not give up lesser things because they have no value. The Christian gives up what is lesser because something greater has been found. Love changes the mathematics of life. A parent who sacrifices for a child may experience fatigue, but love gives meaning to that sacrifice. A person who cares for the sick may become exhausted, but love transforms exhaustion into an offering. So it is with faith. Before encountering Christ, we may ask: “What will following Him cost me?” After discovering Christ, the question becomes: “How could I not give myself to Him?” When Christ becomes our treasure, prayer is no longer merely an obligation; it becomes relationship. The Eucharist is no longer simply a ritual; it becomes encounter. The Church is no longer merely an institution; it becomes the living Body of Christ. The parish is no longer simply a place we attend; it becomes a spiritual home where the treasure of Christ is celebrated and shared. When the treasure is found, everything else is seen differently.
The Pearl of Great Price: The Long Search for Meaning-The second parable presents a merchant searching for fine pearls. Unlike the farmer, he does not discover the treasure accidentally. He has been looking for it. This represents another path to God. Some people discover Christ suddenly. Others come to faith slowly, through years of questions, experiences, suffering, prayer, and searching. Some encounter God in a moment of crisis. Others discover Him gradually through the ordinary rhythms of life. God does not lead every person by the same path.
The farmer and the merchant are different, but they discover the same treasure. This should make us patient with one another. Not everyone has the same spiritual history. Some have been faithful for decades. Others are returning to the Church after many years. Some are full of certainty. Others are still asking questions. The Church must always remain a place where people can search. A parish must be a community where people can ask questions, begin again, and grow gradually in faith. The Church is not a museum for perfect people. It is a home for those who are still becoming. Faith is not the absence of mystery. Faith is the decision to trust that the mystery has a face—and that face is Jesus Christ. The merchant finally discovers the pearl of great price and sells everything to possess it. His search has reached its fulfillment. Every human search ultimately longs for a love that will not betray us, a truth that will not deceive us, and a hope that death cannot destroy. The Gospel tells us that this search finds its fulfillment in Christ.
To Find the Treasure Is to Become a Citizen of the Kingdom-The title of this reflection takes us one step further: the Gospel invites us not merely to seek treasure, but to become citizens of the treasure itself. Christianity is not simply about obtaining something from God. We often approach God by asking: “What can God give me?” Can He give me healing, peace, protection, or success? These are legitimate prayers. God cares about our needs. But the Gospel ultimately leads us to a deeper question: Who am I becoming in the presence of God? The Kingdom of God is not merely a treasure that we possess. It is a new way of living. To become a citizen of the Kingdom means allowing Christ to shape our vision, priorities, relationships, and treatment of others.
The world says: “Blessed are the powerful.” The Kingdom says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” The world says: “Protect yourself at all costs.” The Kingdom says: “Forgive.” The world says: “The greatest is the one who dominates.” The Kingdom says: “The greatest is the one who serves.” The world says: “Love those who love you.” The Kingdom says: “Love your enemies.” To discover the treasure is therefore to enter a new way of being. The Kingdom is not merely a place we hope to enter after death. It is a reality that begins to enter our lives now. Every act of forgiveness makes the Kingdom present. Every act of compassion makes the Kingdom present. Every act of service makes the Kingdom present.
Every time we welcome the lonely, visit the sick, encourage the discouraged, or reach out to someone who feels forgotten, the hidden treasure of the Kingdom becomes visible. The Kingdom becomes visible whenever the heart of Christ becomes visible in the life of a Christian.
The Parish: A Community That Knows Its Treasure-What does this Gospel say to us as a parish? The Church exists because Christ is worth everything. The Church is not sustained merely by buildings, activities, programs, or statistics. It exists because Jesus Christ is the treasure. If we forget this, the Church becomes merely an organization, the parish becomes merely a schedule, and the liturgy becomes merely a ceremony. But when Christ is recognized as the treasure, everything is transformed.
A parish becomes alive not simply because it has many activities, but because its people know why they are here. We are here because Christ is our treasure. We are here because the Eucharist is the presence of the One for whom our hearts were created. We are here because the Word of God continues to speak. We are here because the mercy of Christ is greater than our sins. We are here because no human being should have to walk through life alone. We are here because the Kingdom of God is already beginning among us.
The future of the Church will not be secured simply by trying to recover the past. It will be secured by rediscovering the treasure. A parish does not need merely more activity. It needs deeper conversion. It does not need merely more noise. It needs more prayer. It does not need merely more programs. It needs more people who have encountered Christ. A Christian who has truly encountered Christ naturally wants to share Him. The person who has found the treasure wants others to discover it too.
Conclusion: Christ Is the Treasure-The farmer found the treasure. The merchant found the pearl. But the deepest treasure is not a thing. It is a Person. The Kingdom of God is ultimately Jesus Christ Himself. He is the treasure hidden in the field of human history. He is the pearl of infinite value discovered by the searching heart. He is the One who gives meaning to suffering, hope to the discouraged, forgiveness to the sinner, dignity to the forgotten, courage to the fearful, and eternal life to those who believe.
The Gospel asks us a decisive question: What is the treasure of my life? Not simply: What do I possess? Not simply: What do I desire? But: What is worthy of my whole life? Whatever we treasure will eventually shape us. If we treasure wealth above all else, we may become anxious. If we treasure reputation, we may become slaves to the opinions of others. If we treasure power, we may become controlling. But if we treasure Christ, we gradually become like Christ.
This is the ultimate invitation of the Gospel: Do not merely search for the treasure. Do not merely admire the treasure. Do not merely speak about the treasure. Become a citizen of the treasure. Let Christ become the center of your thinking, the source of your hope, the measure of your love, and the destination of your life. The world offers many treasures, but only one treasure can finally satisfy the human heart. That treasure is Christ. And when Christ becomes our treasure, we discover that we have not lost everything. We have found everything.
Fraternally,
Fr. John Peter Lazaar SAC, Pastor