First Reading (2 Cor 10:17-11:2)
Reading from the Second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.
Brothers, let him who boasts boast in the Lord. For only he whom the Lord commends is approved, not he who commends himself. 11 I wish you could bear with me in a little foolishness. Indeed, you bear with me. I have a jealous love for you, like the love God has for you. I have espoused you to one husband, presenting you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
– The word of the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
Gospel (Matthew 13:44-46)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, Jesus said to the crowds: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. A man finds it and hides it. Overjoyed, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. The kingdom of heaven is like a buyer looking for precious pearls. When he finds one pearl of great value, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that pearl.”
— Word of the Savior.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Imagine for a moment that you are walking through an ordinary field, perhaps returning home after a long day of work. Your feet are tired, your mind is occupied with the worries of everyday life. Suddenly, your foot bumps into something hard. You bend down to investigate and, to your surprise, discover a small buried chest. With your heart racing, you open it and find yourself faced with a treasure beyond your wildest dreams.
This is the scene Jesus paints for us in the first parable of today’s Gospel. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.” But what does this treasure really mean? And what does it have to do with Paul’s message to the Corinthians that we have just heard?
Let’s unpack this treasure together, layer by layer.
First, let’s notice the reaction of the man who finds the treasure: “In his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.” There is an urgency, a total abandonment in this action. He immediately recognizes the incomparable value of what he has found and is willing to sacrifice everything to obtain it.
But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He gives us another image: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he finds one pearl of great price, he goes and sells everything he has and buys it.”
Notice the subtle but significant difference. In the first case, the man stumbles upon the treasure by chance. In the second, the merchant is actively seeking. Some of us may have had a sudden, unexpected encounter with God—a moment of grace that changed everything. Others may have spent years seeking, searching, yearning for something more. The crucial point is that once we recognize the value of the Kingdom of God, nothing else compares. Everything else pales in comparison. Now let’s return to Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Paul is addressing a community that is being seduced by false apostles, people who boast of their own accomplishments and status. And what does Paul say? “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” Paul is echoing the words of the prophet Jeremiah: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the mighty man boast in his might, nor the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
Do you see the connection with Jesus’ parables? The treasure, the pearl of great price—these are not symbols of material wealth or status. They represent the knowledge and love of God. This is the true treasure that surpasses all else.
Paul continues with a powerful image: “I have espoused you to one husband, Christ, and I want to present you to him as a pure virgin.” Here, Paul is speaking of the church as the bride of Christ. It is a picture of intimacy, of total commitment, of exclusive love.
Think about that for a moment. The God of the universe, the Creator of all that exists, desires a relationship with us so intimate that it is compared to a marriage. This is the treasure hidden in the field. This is the pearl of great price.
But how does this apply to our daily lives?
First, it challenges us to reevaluate our priorities. If we truly believe that knowing and loving God is the greatest treasure, this should be reflected in how we spend our time, energy, and resources. This is not about abandoning our responsibilities or relationships, but about reorienting them in light of this supreme treasure.
Second, it calls us to a new identity. Paul was concerned that the Corinthians would be “led astray from the sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” In a world that constantly tells us to define ourselves by our work, our achievements, our appearance, or our social status, we are called to find our primary identity in Christ.
Third, it invites us to take a new perspective on suffering and hardship. If the Kingdom of God is truly a treasure that surpasses all else, then even our struggles can be seen in a new light. As Paul writes elsewhere, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). But perhaps the most challenging and liberating aspect of this message is the call to total surrender. Both the man who found the treasure and the merchant who found the pearl sold everything they had. They kept nothing for themselves. This does not necessarily mean that we are to sell all our material possessions (although for some, that may be the call). But it does mean that we are challenged to surrender everything to God—our fears, our hopes, our dreams, our hurts, our talents, our weaknesses. Everything. Is it scary? Absolutely. Is it counterintuitive in a culture that values self-sufficiency and control? Absolutely. But it is also incredibly liberating. Because when we surrender everything to God, we discover that He is more than enough. We discover, as C.S. Lewis wrote, that “He who tries to keep his life will lose it, and he who loses his life will save it… Nothing you have not given is really safe; nothing you try to keep for yourself is really yours.”
So, my dear brothers and sisters, I challenge you today. Where is your treasure? What do you consider your “pearl of great price”? If your life were a field, where would God find the buried treasure of your devotion?
Perhaps for some of you, this is a time of rediscovery. Perhaps you have known God’s love in the past, but the cares of life, disappointments, or the simple passage of time have obscured that treasure. Today is the day to dig it up again, to brush off the dust, and rediscover its priceless value.
For others, perhaps this is a time of encounter for the first time. Perhaps you have come here today out of habit, or to please someone, or out of sheer curiosity. But perhaps, just today, you have stumbled upon a treasure you never knew existed. If so, do not hesitate. The treasure is before you, waiting to be claimed.
And for those who already know and value this treasure, who have already experienced the joy of finding the pearl of great price, the challenge is to continue living in that reality every day. It is easy to forget the value of what we have, it is easy to be distracted by the worries and temptations of the world. But we are called to live each day with the same urgency and joy as that first moment of discovery.
Always remember: treasure is not something we earn or deserve. It is a gift, freely offered by God’s incomprehensible love. Our response is simply to receive it with gratitude and live it with joy.
May we, like Paul, glory only in the Lord. May we, like the man in the field and the pearl merchant, recognize the incomparable value of the Kingdom of God. And may we, as the bride of Christ, live in sincere and pure devotion to Him.
May the Lord open our eyes to see the treasure that lies before us, may He open our hearts to receive it fully, and may He strengthen our hands to share it generously with the world around us.
Amen.
