The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, "Ask something of me and I will give it to you." O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?" The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request. So God said to him: "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. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you.
Psalms 119(118)
I have said to the LORD, that my part; is to keep your words. The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Let your kindness comfort me in accord with your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.
For I love your commands more than the finest gold. For in all your precepts I go forward; every false way I hate.
Wonderful are your decrees; therefore I observe them. The revelation of your words sheds light, giving understanding to the simple.
Letter of St Paul Ap. to the Romans 8,28-30.
Brothers and sisters: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 13,44-52. Jesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it". Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Do you understand all these things? They answered, "Yes." And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old."
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning! This Sunday’s Gospel Reading (cf. Mt 13:44-52) consists of the final verses of the chapter Matthew devotes to the parable of the Kingdom of Heaven. The passage includes three parables that are very briefly outlined: that of the hidden treasure, that of the precious pearl, and that of the net cast into the sea.
I will look at the first two in which the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to two different “precious” items, namely, the treasure hidden in the field and the pearl of great value. The reaction of the one who finds the pearl or the treasure is practically the same: the man and the merchant sell everything to buy what is now most dear to them. With these two similes, Jesus proposes to involve us in the building of the Kingdom of Heaven, presenting an essential characteristic of Christian life, of the life of the Kingdom of heaven: those who fully pledge themselves to the Kingdom are those who are willing to stake everything, who are courageous. Indeed, both the man and the merchant in the two parables sell everything they have, thus renouncing their material security. From this it can be understood that the building of the Kingdom requires not only the grace of God, but also the active willingness of humanity. Everything is done by grace, everything! We need only have the willingness to receive it, not to resist grace: grace does everything but it takes ‘my’ responsibility, ‘my’ willingness.
The gestures of that man and the merchant who go searching, depriving themselves of their goods in order to buy more precious treasures, are decisive gestures; they are radical gestures; I would say that they are only ‘one way’ gestures, not a ‘round trip’: they are ‘one way’ gestures. Moreover, they are made with joy because both of them have found a treasure. We are called upon to assume the attitude of these two Gospel figures, so that we too may become healthily restless seekers of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is a matter of abandoning the heavy burden of our worldly certainties that prevent us from seeking and building up the Kingdom: the desire for possession, the thirst for profit and power, and thinking only about ourselves.
In our times, as we are all aware, the lives of some people can end up mediocre and dull because they probably do not go in search of a true treasure: they are content with attractive but fleeting things, glittering flashes that prove illusory as they give way to darkness. Instead the light of the Kingdom is not like fireworks, it is light: fireworks last only an instant, whereas the light of the Kingdom accompanies us all our life.
The Kingdom of Heaven is the opposite of the superfluous things that the world offers; it is the opposite of a dull life: it is a treasure that renews life every day and leads it to expand towards wider horizons. Indeed, those who have found this treasure have a creative and inquisitive heart, which does not repeat but rather invents, tracing and setting out on new paths which lead us to love God, to love others, and to truly love ourselves. The sign of those who walk this path of the Kingdom is creativity, always seeking more. And creativity is what takes life and gives life, and gives, and gives, and gives... It always looks for many different ways to give life.
Jesus, who is the hidden treasure and the pearl of great value, cannot but inspire joy, all the joy of the world: the joy of discovering a meaning for one’s life, the joy of feeling committed to the adventure of holiness.
May the Blessed Virgin help us to search every day for the treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven, so that the love God has given us through Jesus may be manifested in our words and gestures.
FAUSTI - "For the joy of it, he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field". These last four short parables, addressed to the disciples, complete Jesus' discourse with an appeal to decision and responsibility. Joy is the strength to decide for the Kingdom, a treasure to live coherently and to transmit appropriately. The first two parables are symmetrical, but with differences that illuminate different aspects of the one theme: deciding for what is worthwhile. They speak of "finding" (the result of an "explicit search" or not), of a "hidden treasure" and of a "beautiful pearl" - suggestive images of the value and beauty of the Kingdom - and put the accent on "selling everything" to "buy" the field and the pearl. It is not enough to search or find: you have to decide. Whoever wants to keep his foot in two shoes, does not walk. The reason for the decision is joy, passion for treasure. Love for Jesus makes you indifferent to the rest, free to finally walk towards happiness. This is why God gives us joy: to make us decide. And that is why the enemy does everything to make us sad. To prevent us from taking any positive decisions. The second pair of parables is about responsibility. It is true that the Church is not a sect of the just ones. It is the great net, thrown into the sea, that fishes the brothers out of the abyss. Woe if it were not so! But he who has obtained mercy, lives it with care towards the others. The goodness of God is an incentive to correspond to it, not an alibi for wickedness: salvation is to be like Him! In a special way the "scribe" is responsible for understanding everything and transmitting it in its entirety, with attention to the new and to the old, to interpretation and to tradition. He must keep in mind the New and the Old Testament, showing the truth of the promises in the light of Jesus, which is the fulfillment. It is impossible to understand the fulfilment without knowing the promise, but also to gather the promise without knowing the fulfilment. The veil of the Old Testament is lifted only by Christ (2 Cor 3:14-16). The Bible is the family treasure, from which, in due time, the scribe, faithful steward of the mysteries of the Kingdom, distributes his ration of food to each one. Blessed is the servant whom the master, upon his return, will find to serve in this way. Otherwise he belongs to the number of those who close the Kingdom of Heaven before men: they do not enter it and prevent others from entering. Jesus is the hidden treasure and the precious pearl. Whoever, sooner or later, finds Him, whether he seeks Him not, like the peasant, or whether he seeks Him, like the merchant. The Lord, as He makes Himself found by those who seek Him (Is 66:6), so says: "Here I am" by making Himself found even by those who do not seek Him (Is 55:1). He is Wisdom who prepares the banquet of life: the joy of having met Him is the strength to decide to achieve Him. The Church is made up of those who center their lives on Him, treasure and precious pearl; for the rest, they serve as much as He likes. Everyone is responsible for living concretely in the light of this love. The scribe, in a special way, is called to transmit well this treasure, ancient in its newness and always new in its ancient root.
1st book of Kings
RispondiElimina3,5.7-12.
The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, "Ask something of me and I will give it to you."
O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.
I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.
Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?"
The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.
So God said to him: "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. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you.
Psalms 119(118)
I have said to the LORD, that my part;
is to keep your words.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Let your kindness comfort me
in accord with your promise to your servant.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
For I love your commands
more than the finest gold.
For in all your precepts I go forward;
every false way I hate.
Wonderful are your decrees;
therefore I observe them.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
Letter of St Paul Ap.
to the Romans 8,28-30.
Brothers and sisters: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint Matthew
13,44-52.
Jesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it".
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Do you understand all these things? They answered, "Yes."
And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old."
POPE FRANCIS
EliminaANGELUS 26 July 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
This Sunday’s Gospel Reading (cf. Mt 13:44-52) consists of the final verses of the chapter Matthew devotes to the parable of the Kingdom of Heaven. The passage includes three parables that are very briefly outlined: that of the hidden treasure, that of the precious pearl, and that of the net cast into the sea.
I will look at the first two in which the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to two different “precious” items, namely, the treasure hidden in the field and the pearl of great value. The reaction of the one who finds the pearl or the treasure is practically the same: the man and the merchant sell everything to buy what is now most dear to them. With these two similes, Jesus proposes to involve us in the building of the Kingdom of Heaven, presenting an essential characteristic of Christian life, of the life of the Kingdom of heaven: those who fully pledge themselves to the Kingdom are those who are willing to stake everything, who are courageous. Indeed, both the man and the merchant in the two parables sell everything they have, thus renouncing their material security. From this it can be understood that the building of the Kingdom requires not only the grace of God, but also the active willingness of humanity. Everything is done by grace, everything! We need only have the willingness to receive it, not to resist grace: grace does everything but it takes ‘my’ responsibility, ‘my’ willingness.
The gestures of that man and the merchant who go searching, depriving themselves of their goods in order to buy more precious treasures, are decisive gestures; they are radical gestures; I would say that they are only ‘one way’ gestures, not a ‘round trip’: they are ‘one way’ gestures. Moreover, they are made with joy because both of them have found a treasure. We are called upon to assume the attitude of these two Gospel figures, so that we too may become healthily restless seekers of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is a matter of abandoning the heavy burden of our worldly certainties that prevent us from seeking and building up the Kingdom: the desire for possession, the thirst for profit and power, and thinking only about ourselves.
In our times, as we are all aware, the lives of some people can end up mediocre and dull because they probably do not go in search of a true treasure: they are content with attractive but fleeting things, glittering flashes that prove illusory as they give way to darkness. Instead the light of the Kingdom is not like fireworks, it is light: fireworks last only an instant, whereas the light of the Kingdom accompanies us all our life.
The Kingdom of Heaven is the opposite of the superfluous things that the world offers; it is the opposite of a dull life: it is a treasure that renews life every day and leads it to expand towards wider horizons. Indeed, those who have found this treasure have a creative and inquisitive heart, which does not repeat but rather invents, tracing and setting out on new paths which lead us to love God, to love others, and to truly love ourselves. The sign of those who walk this path of the Kingdom is creativity, always seeking more. And creativity is what takes life and gives life, and gives, and gives, and gives... It always looks for many different ways to give life.
Jesus, who is the hidden treasure and the pearl of great value, cannot but inspire joy, all the joy of the world: the joy of discovering a meaning for one’s life, the joy of feeling committed to the adventure of holiness.
May the Blessed Virgin help us to search every day for the treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven, so that the love God has given us through Jesus may be manifested in our words and gestures.
FAUSTI - "For the joy of it, he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field". These last four short parables, addressed to the disciples, complete Jesus' discourse with an appeal to decision and responsibility. Joy is the strength to decide for the Kingdom, a treasure to live coherently and to transmit appropriately. The first two parables are symmetrical, but with differences that illuminate different aspects of the one theme: deciding for what is worthwhile.
RispondiEliminaThey speak of "finding" (the result of an "explicit search" or not), of a "hidden treasure" and of a "beautiful pearl" - suggestive images of the value and beauty of the Kingdom - and put the accent on "selling everything" to "buy" the field and the pearl.
It is not enough to search or find: you have to decide.
Whoever wants to keep his foot in two shoes, does not walk.
The reason for the decision is joy, passion for treasure.
Love for Jesus makes you indifferent to the rest, free to finally walk towards happiness.
This is why God gives us joy: to make us decide. And that is why the enemy does everything to make us sad. To prevent us from taking any positive decisions.
The second pair of parables is about responsibility.
It is true that the Church is not a sect of the just ones. It is the great net, thrown into the sea, that fishes the brothers out of the abyss. Woe if it were not so! But he who has obtained mercy, lives it with care towards the others. The goodness of God is an incentive to correspond to it, not an alibi for wickedness:
salvation is to be like Him!
In a special way the "scribe" is responsible for understanding everything and transmitting it in its entirety, with attention to the new and to the old, to interpretation and to tradition. He must keep in mind the New and the Old Testament, showing the truth of the promises in the light of Jesus, which is the fulfillment.
It is impossible to understand the fulfilment without knowing the promise, but also to gather the promise without knowing the fulfilment.
The veil of the Old Testament is lifted only by Christ (2 Cor 3:14-16).
The Bible is the family treasure, from which, in due time, the scribe, faithful steward of the mysteries of the Kingdom, distributes his ration of food to each one.
Blessed is the servant whom the master, upon his return, will find to serve in this way.
Otherwise he belongs to the number of those who close the Kingdom of Heaven before men: they do not enter it and prevent others from entering.
Jesus is the hidden treasure and the precious pearl.
Whoever, sooner or later, finds Him, whether he seeks Him not, like the peasant, or whether he seeks Him, like the merchant.
The Lord, as He makes Himself found by those who seek Him (Is 66:6), so says: "Here I am" by making Himself found even by those who do not seek Him (Is 55:1).
He is Wisdom who prepares the banquet of life: the joy of having met Him is the strength to decide to achieve Him.
The Church is made up of those who center their lives on Him, treasure and precious pearl; for the rest, they serve as much as He likes.
Everyone is responsible for living concretely in the light of this love.
The scribe, in a special way, is called to transmit well this treasure, ancient in its newness and always new in its ancient root.