Study and Meditations on this Sunday's Scripture Readings

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The 2nd Reading is cited or alluded to in the following sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1821 We can therefore hope in the glory of heaven promised by God to those who love him and do his will. In every circumstance, each one of us should hope, with the grace of God, to persevere “to the end” and to obtain the joy of heaven, as God’s eternal reward for the good works accomplished with the grace of Christ. In hope, the Church prays for “all men to be saved.” She longs to be united with Christ, her Bridegroom, in the glory of heaven:

*Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one. Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end. *

313 “We know that in everything God works for good for those who love him.” The constant witness of the saints confirms this truth:

• St. Catherine of Siena said to “those who are scandalized and rebel against what happens to them”: “Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind.”

St. Thomas More, shortly before his martyrdom, consoled his daughter: "Nothing can come but that that God wills. And I make me very sure that whatsoever that be, seem it never so bad in sight, it shall indeed be the best."

Dame Julian of Norwich: "Here I was taught by the grace of God that I should steadfastly keep me in the faith... and that at the same time I should take my stand on and earnestly believe in what our Lord shewed in this time - that 'all manner [of] thing shall be well.'"*

257 “O blessed light, O Trinity and first Unity!” God is eternal blessedness, undying life, unfading light. God is love: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God freely wills to communicate the glory of his blessed life. Such is the “plan of his loving kindness”, conceived by the Father before the foundation of the world, in his beloved Son: “He destined us in love to be his sons” and “to be conformed to the image of his Son”, through “the spirit of sonship”. This plan is a “grace [which] was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began”, stemming immediately from Trinitarian love. It unfolds in the work of creation, the whole history of salvation after the fall, and the missions of the Son and the Spirit, which are continued in the mission of the Church.

395 The power of Satan is, nonetheless, not infinite. He is only a creature, powerful from the fact that he is pure spirit, but still a creature. He cannot prevent the building up of God’s reign. Although Satan may act in the world out of hatred for God and his kingdom in Christ Jesus, and although his action may cause grave injuries - of a spiritual nature and, indirectly, even of a physical nature- to each man and to society, the action is permitted by divine providence which with strength and gentleness guides human and cosmic history. It is a great mystery that providence should permit diabolical activity, but “we know that in everything God works for good with those who love him.”

381 Man is predestined to reproduce the image of God’s Son made man, the “image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15), so that Christ shall be the first-born of a multitude of brothers and sisters (cf. Eph 1:3-6; Rom 8:29).

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Here is a meditation on the 2nd Reading for practical application from Catholic Matters:

**APPLICATION: **St. Augustine says, “God created us without our consent or cooperation but he will not (and cannot) save us without our cooperation.” This is clear from what St. Paul tells us today. God has done, and continues to do, everything that is necessary to bring us to heaven when we die. However, unless we cooperate and do our part, heaven will not be our future abode.

This should make each one of us stop and think! Are we on the right road? Are we truly followers of Christ? Do we love God? Are our prevailing ambitions worldly or other-worldly? We have to take an interest in the affairs of this world but do all our interests end there? Do the ten commandments of God always govern and direct our conduct, or are they often trampled on in our mad rush for some temporal pleasure or gain?

These are questions every Christian should put to himself and honestly answer. We are living in an era which is daily growing more worldly and more anti-God and anti-Christian. On all sides of us we have bad example, a strong-rushing current of worldliness and immorality, a current difficult to avoid or swim against. But avoid it we must if we really have our real and eternal welfare at heart. What is more, if we love our fellowman as our Christian faith obliges us to do, we must do all in our power to lead them out of that fatal current and bring them to safety with us. We must be life-guards.

There is a future life, revelation tells us, and our reasoning demands it. That future life will be one of eternal happiness for those who strive to love God in this life, and eternal unhappiness for those who refuse to do this. Ask yourself this question: “If I were to die tonight, to which class would I like to belong?” Tonight may not be the night of our departure from this life, but that departure is nearer to us than any of us think, and the state of our conscience at the moment of our death may depend on the resolutions we make today.

Nobody, not even God himself, can give us eternal life. We must earn it for ourselves. Our Christian faith tells us how.

 

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A word on the doctrine of “pre-destination” from the St. Charles Borromeo Scripture Study for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A:

God cooperates in all things with those who love Him; this is the realization of His loving plan of salvation. God’s purpose and plan are what is really behind all that happens to Christians, for He is really in control.

“To be called according to God’s purpose is to be called according to the will. But is this the will of the one who calls or the will of those who are called? Naturally, every impulse which leads to righteousness comes from God the Father. Christ Himself once said: ‘No one can come to me unless the Father draws him’ (John 6:44). Nevertheless it is not wrong to say that some are called according to God’s purpose and according to their own intentions as well.” [Saint Cyril of Alexandria (A.D. 430), *Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans

8,29]

The Catholic understanding of the doctrine of predestination is: “God, by His eternal resolve of will, has predestined certain men to eternal blessedness.” This doctrine is based on our reading today. This doesn’t mean that those so favored cannot cast aside their salvation if they so will, and/or that those not so favored cannot still be saved.

God desires the salvation of all mankind. This is shown in the beginning of the Book of Genesis where the man and the woman are in the garden, able to speak to God face-to-face. This is the destiny which God wants for us all. Like our first parents, we also have a free will to choose to obey Him or not. God doesn’t interfere with that choice. This is why Saint Paul tells us in Philippians 2:12 “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (KJV).

God has given each of us a free will, and He will do nothing to interfere with it.

The Catholic teaching on predestination is in direct contrast to the teaching of Protestant reformer John Calvin which is described in his *Institutes of the Christian Religion *(1536):

“God’s eternal decree, by which he compacted with himself what he wills to become of each man… eternal life is foreordained for some, eternal damnation for others. Therefore, as any man has been created to one or the other of these ends, we speak of him as predestined to life or to death.”

As can be seen from the following quotation from one of the Early Church Fathers, the teaching of Calvin was not the understanding of the Early Church:

“Those whom He predestined, those also did He call; and those whom He called, those also did He justify; and those whom He justified, those also did He glorify. Those whose resolve He foreknew, He predestined from the beginning. Predestining them, He did also call them. Calling them, He justified them by Baptism; and justifying them, He glorified them, calling them sons and bestowing on them the grace of the Holy Spirit. But no one would say that His foreknowledge is the cause of this: for His foreknowledge does not accomplish such things as these. Rather, God, since He is God, does see from afar those things that are going to be. … The God of the Universe, since He is God, sees all things from afar. Assuredly this imposes no necessity on anyone of practicing virtue, nor on anyone of doing evil. For if a man be compelled to either course, it is not right that he be either praised and crowned, or condemned to punishment. If God is just, as just He be, He encourages to those things that are good, and dissuades from the contrary; and He praises those who do good, and punishes those who voluntarily embrace evil.” [Theodoret of Cyr (ca. A.D. 440),* Interpretation of the Fourteen Epistles of Paul Romans 8:30]

 

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Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:44-52

• This Sunday’s Gospel reading is the conclusion of Matthew, chapter 13, which features
many of Jesus’ most well known parables. We will be looking at three parables and a
final instruction by Jesus.

• Verses 44-46 are really two parables that emphasize one important truth: the
surpassing riches and beauty of the kingdom of heaven are worth more than anything
that would be given up to obtain it, whether one just stumbles upon it (verse 44) or is
searching for it (verse 45-46). Some, like the rich young man in Matthew 19:21, will find
the cost too high.

• Verses 47-50 concerns a dragnet, a very large net that was tied between two fishing
boats. Along with fish, it also tended to pick up trash, seaweed and algae that had to
be separated from the catch. Like the parable of the weeds in the field we heard last
week, Jesus likens this to the Church at the Last Judgment.

• Finally, Jesus reveals to his Apostles how they will be like the religious teachers who taught the old Law. The difference, however, is that they will find their treasure not only in the Old Testament, but also in the new Law of the Gospel.

Here is the Gospel Reading as we will hear it this Sunday (you may hear a shorter version in your parish):

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.”

 

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From the Navarre Bible commentary:

The Hidden Treasure; The Pearl
------------------------------
*(Jesus said to His disciples,) [44] "The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

[45] “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, [46] who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”*

**44-46. **In these two parables Jesus shows the supreme value of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the attitude people need if they are to attain it. The parables are very alike, but it is interesting to note the differences: the treasure means abundance of gifts; the pearl indicates the beauty of the Kingdom. The treasure is something stumbled upon; the pearl, the result of a lengthy search; but in both instances the finder is filled with joy. Faith, vocation, true wisdom, desire for Heaven, are things which sometimes are discovered suddenly and unexpectedly, and sometimes after much searching (cf. St. Gregory the Great, “In Evangelia Homilae”, 11). However, the man’s attitude is the same in both parables and is described in the same terms: “he goes and sells all that he has and buys it”: detachment, generosity, is indispensable for obtaining the treasure.

“Anyone who understands the Kingdom which Christ proposes realizes that it is worth staking everything to obtain it …]. The Kingdom of Heaven is difficult to win. No one can be sure of achieving it, but the humble cry of a repentant man can open wide its doors” ([St] J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 180).

The Net
-------
*(Jesus said to His disciples,) [47] "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; *

**47. **“Fish of every kind”: almost all the Greek manuscripts and early translations say “All kinds of things”. A dragnet is very long and about two meters wide; when it is extended between two boats it forms double or triple mesh with the result that when it is pulled in it collects all sorts of things in addition to fish–algae, weeds, rubbish, etc.

This parable is rather like the parable of the cockle, but in a fishing context: the net is the Church, the sea the world.

We can easily find in this parable the dogmatic truth of the Judgment: at the end of time God will judge men and separate the good from the bad. It is interesting to note our Lord’s repeated references to the last things, especially Judgment and Hell: He emphasizes these truths because of man’s great tendency to forget them: “All these things are said to make sure that no one can make the excuse that he does not know about them: this excuse would be valid only if eternal punishment were spoken about in ambiguous terms” (St. Gregory the Great, “In Evangelia Homilae”, 11).

*[48] when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. [49] So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, [50] and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.

[51] “Have you understood all this?” They said to Him, “Yes.” [52] And He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the Kingdom of Heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”*

**52. **“Scribe”: among the Jews a scribe was a religious teacher, a specialist in sacred Scripture and its application to life. Our Lord here uses this word to refer to the Apostles, who will have the role of teachers in His Church. Thus, the Apostles and their successors, the Bishops, are the “Ecclesia docens”, the teaching Church; they have the authority and the mission to teach. The Pope and the Bishops exercise this authority directly and are also helped in this by priests. The other members of the Church form the “Ecclesia discens”, the learning Church. However, every disciple of Christ, every Christian who has received Christ’s teaching, has a duty to pass this teaching on to others, in language they can understand; therefore, he should make sure he has a good grasp of Christian doctrine. The treasure of Revelation is so rich that it can provide teaching which applies to all times and situations. It is for the word of God to enlighten all ages and situations–not the other way around. Therefore, the Church and its pastors preach, not new things, but a single unchanging truth contained in the treasure of Revelation: for the past two thousand years the Gospel has always been “good news”.

 

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From the 1859 Haydock Commentary:

The parables of the treasure, the pearl of great price, the dragnet and the fully instructed Scribe…

44 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field: which, when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Ver. 44. Like unto a treasure. This hidden treasure is the gospel of Christ, which conducts to the kingdom of heaven. Thus he who by the knowledge which the gospel affords, has found the kingdom of heaven, should purchase it at the expense of every thing most near and dear to him: he cannot pay too great a price for his purchase.

*45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls.

46 Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it.*

**Ver. 46. **This eternal kingdom faith opens to your view, but it does not put you in possession without good works. (Bible de Vence)

*47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kind of fishes.

48 Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world, the angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just.

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 Have ye understood all these things? They say to him: Yea.

52 He said unto them: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a master of a house, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old.*

Ver. 52. Every scribe; i.e. master or teacher. (Witham) — Because you know how invaluable is the treasure, the pearl, the kingdom, here mentioned; you, who are scribes and teachers, should cultivate it yourselves, and communicate the same blessing to others. Thus imitating a father of a family, who draws from his treasure both new and old things, and distributes them to his children, according to their several wants and necessities. This was a proverbial expression with the Jews, to signify every thing useful or necessary for the provision of a family. (St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Chrysostom, Ven. Bede, and Tirinus.) — Thus also a pastor of souls throws light upon the mysteries of the New Testament, by the figures of the Old, and explains the workings of grace, by the operations of nature.

 

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A meditation on the Gospel Reading for practical application from Catholic Matters:

**APPLICATION: **The lesson of these two parables is as true for us today, as it was for those Palestinians to whom Christ spoke. All Christians are called on to imitate these two wise men, and surrender all their earthly possessions if necessary in order to gain eternal life. Does this “giving all” mean that we are all expected to abandon the world and take on the religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience? There are many who do just this. But it is not the only way, nor the normal way, to purchase the eternal treasure. Heaven is within the reach of all, who follow the ordinary vocations of life and partake of this world’s joys and pleasures within the framework of God’s commandments, but never lose sight of the goal toward which they are moving.

Keeping within the framework of God’s commandments is the difficulty. We need not have a vow of obedience, but we must obey all legitimate authority. We may possess the goods of this world, but only such goods as we lawfully and justly acquire. Nor may we withhold all of these from a fellowman who is in need. We do not have to take a vow of chastity, but yet we must be chaste, we must use the gifts and the pleasure of sex only within the limits set down by God’s wise laws.

All of this is not easy for human nature. But we are not relying on weak human nature, we have within our reach in the Church all the spiritual and supernatural aids we need. Our twentieth century, it is true, is so engrossed in chasing after the earthly comforts and pleasures of the body, and so devoid of any spiritual or other-worldly outlook, that even those who know and believe that there is an eternity after death, find it hard to allow their faith and convictions to govern and direct their daily actions. Yet, the evil example of others will never justify our wrong-doing. The commandments of God are still binding, even though they are openly and flagrantly violated by individuals and whole nations today.

Remember this: we shall not be asked at the judgment, “What did your neighbor do?”, but “what did you do?” If we lose the pearl of great price in the eternity of happiness God has offered to us—it will not be the fault of others. The fault will be ours and ours only. We refuse to pay the price. We did not think it worthy the “paltry all” which we possessed in this life.

 

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Some questions on this Sunday’s Scripture readings for personal study and meditation:

In the 1st Reading, when God offers to give Solomon whatever he asks, what does the young king ask for? What is God’s response? Can you see yourself asking for the same thing of God? Why or why not?

• What does the 2nd Reading tell us about placing our trust in God? How does God reward that trust?

• In the Gospel Reading, what do the parables in verses 44-50 teach about the value of the kingdom? With what emotion and energy should it be pursued?

• What does the parable of the net teach about the kingdom of heaven? How does it compare with the parable of the weeds (verses 24-30)?

• Who are the teachers of the old Law who have been instructed in the new Gospel (verse 52)?

• Compared to the man and the merchant, how valuable is the kingdom to you and why: (a) It’s worth more than anything else. (b) I think I’d miss too much of the other things. (c) I’m not ready to put all my eggs in one basket.

• Examine how you spend your time, talent and treasure and ask yourself: “What would I sacrifice for the kingdom of heaven?”

 

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From The Sacred Page, posted by John Bergsma:

Get Wise! The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

When I was a kid, the phrase “Get wise!” was a provocative taunt—essentially, a way to start a fight. It meant something like: “I invite you to act like a smart aleck, so I will have an excuse to assault you physically.” My elementary school career was a bit rough.

But what does it really mean to “Get wise” or “Gain wisdom”? The Readings for this Sunday’s Mass teach us about this issue.

During this part of Ordinary Time in Year A, the Church is pursuing a* lectio continua* (continuous reading, i.e. reading in order) of both Romans and Matthew. The First Readings are taken from key passages of the Old Testament, chosen (more or less) to complement the Gospel reading.

This weekend’s First Reading is Solomon’s famous encounter with God in a dream early in his reign. Faced with the invitation to make any request of God, Solomon asks for the wisdom to rule well. God is pleased with this request and grants it to him. In a verse not used in Mass, God adds: “I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days” (1 Kings 3:13). We are reminded here of Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount: “Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well” (Matt 6:33). Solomon’s first thought is for the welfare of God’s Kingdom: to rule it beneficially, he needs divine wisdom. Since Solomon puts the interests of the Kingdom first, God honors him.

The Psalm is taken from the greatest celebration of God’s Law in the Psalter, Psalm 119. In this Psalm, the “Law” often refers not simply to the laws of the Pentateuch but to God’s revelation generally. The Psalm celebrates the LORD as the source for all true wisdom:
*
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
LORD, I love your commands.
*
In today’s Readings, Solomon is remembered for his “good side,” that is, the zeal and devotion of his youth. The sacred author describes his early years this way: “Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father” (1 Kings 3:3). The Psalm encourages us to remember this side of Solomon, the Solomon who loved God and God’s revelation.

The Second Reading promises that God’s providence attends those who love him, as Solomon did:
*
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 sisters.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.*

When I was a kid, I thought this verse said “all things work out good for those who love God.” I figured that if I obeyed God’s laws, I would always be successful. Of course, that’s not what the verse means, which I discovered the hard way in my mid-twenties through a series of personal crises.

This is one verse that we want to translate correctly. Here is the Greek, in English characters:

Oidamen de hoti tois agapoœsin ton theon panta synergei eis agathon, tois kata prothesin kleœtois ousin.

Translating woodenly, it reads:

We know that, for those who love God, all things work together unto good, for those being called according to his purpose.

Not all things are good or work out well, but for those who love God, he causes all things to contribute to our ultimate good–even sickness, failure, persecutions, and death itself (cf. Rom 8:35).

By virtue of the covenant with David his father, Solomon enjoyed the privilege of being a Son of God (see 2 Samuel 7:14). Indeed, he was reckoned as God’s Firstborn among the kings of the earth (Psalm 89:27). Compare St. Paul’s language:

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 sisters.

Continued on the next page…

 

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The royal privileges that Jesus the Christ enjoys as Son of David and Son of God are extended to all who join themselves to him. In a mysterious way, a way known only to God, those who freely “choose God” actually find that, all along, they were chosen by him. This is the mystery of predestination. It is not something we will comprehend fully in this life, but in this part of Romans, St. Paul means to reassure us: God is working in us and through us. His plans will be accomplished.

The Gospel Reading finishes the last of the Parables of the Kingdom from Matthew 13:

*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.
*
These three parables are obviously speaking of the Kingdom manifested on earth as the Church, not the Kingdom consummated in the world to come. These parables are favorites of converts, because the experiences described in them seem so parallel to some of our own experiences of finding our way (or rather, God finding us and bringing us) into the Catholic Church.

The first of these parables tells us that the Kingdom is not always obvious. It’s like “treasure buried.” There’s no billboard saying, “TRUE CHURCH, EXIT LEFT 1 MILE.” In fact, those speeding by on the highway of life will never find it. You have to be digging. Digging in the vineyard, perhaps. Suddenly you hit something with your spade. Can it be? Is it? Yes! You are willing to leave everything you have to buy the field with this treasure. (Incidentally, the moral sense of “sells all that he has and buys the field” can apply to those who embrace the evangelical counsel of poverty in the religious life.)

The second of these parables is similar to the first. Again, the Kingdom is not obvious. There are many competitors, perhaps even fakes, “faux pearls” or pearls of low quality. It takes some discernment—indeed wisdom, like Solomon asked for—to tell the true and valuable pearl from all the look-alikes and costume jewelry from Claire’s. It’s found by those who are looking carefully and (perhaps) have gotten some experience in this business.

The third parable is one of the most important for Catholics to understand and embrace. It tells us that the Kingdom, for all its value, is also going to be a “mixed bag” during this age. Like the net thrown into the sea that catches fish of many kinds, so the Church is like a net thrown by Peter, his co-workers the Apostles, and their successors, which brings many—both saints and sinners—into God’s Kingdom. Not all brought in during this age will persevere through the final judgment, however.

“The Kingdom” in the Gospel of Matthew is, in one sense, nothing but Jesus himself: the King (the autobasileia). However, since the Church is the Body of Christ and united to him, what is said about the Kingdom applies also to the Church, both Triumphant (in heaven) and Militant (on earth). The seven parables of the Kingdom in Matt 13 are clearly not speaking of the Church Triumphant, glorified in God’s presence; nor are they speaking (for the most part) of the Kingdom manifested in the person of Christ the King. No, these parables of a Kingdom hidden, starting small, growing slowly, hard to find, mixed with weeds and bad fish, is a description of the Church Militant—perhaps even our local parish!

Many self-appointed “reformers” in Church history have split the historic Church in order to establish a “pure” or “sifted” church. Even today, many leave the Catholic Church for various sects, denominations, even cults, because of the scandal of sinners within the visible Body of Christ. “How can this be the Kingdom of God when it has people like that in it!?” Yet it is, and Jesus told us it was going to be like this.

It takes wisdom to recognize that the Church Militant is, for all its rents and wounds, the Kingdom of Heaven come to earth. This wisdom can only come from God, granted by him to those who love him. If we are docile to the teachings of Jesus, the one who is greater than Solomon, he will teach us the wisdom of the Kingdom.

 

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From the Daily Scripture Reading & Meditation website:

"The heavenly treasure and the pearl of great price"

Scripture: Matthew 13:44-46
**
Meditation:** What do you most treasure and how do you keep it secure? In a peasant community the best safe was often the earth. The man in the parable “went in his joy” to sell everything. Why? Because he found a treasure worth possessing above everything else he had. He did not, however, have enough to buy the treasure. Fortunately, he only needed enough money to buy the field. In a similar fashion, God offers his kingdom as incomparable treasure at a price we can afford! We can’t pay the full price for the life which God gives us; but when we exchange our life for the life which God offers, we receive a treasure beyond compare. The pearl of great price also tells us a similar lesson. Pearls in the ancient world came to represent the supremely valuable. Jesus remarked that one should not cast pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6). Why would a merchant sell everything for a peerless pearl? No doubt because he was attracted to what he thought was the greatest treasure he could possess.

Discovering God’s kingdom is like stumbling across hidden treasure or finding the one pearl of great price. When we discover the kingdom of God we receive the greatest possible treasure — the Lord himself. Selling all that we have to obtain this incomparable treasure could mean many things — our friends, job, our “style of life”, what we do with our free time. Treasure has a special connection to the heart, the place of desire and longing, the place of will and focus. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure. In this parable what does the treasure of the kingdom refer to? It certainly refers to the kingdom of God in all its aspects. But in a special way, the Lord himself is the treasure we seek. If the Almighty is your gold and your precious silver, then you will delight yourself in the Almighty (Job 22:22-23). Is the Lord the treasure and delight of your heart?

*“Lord Jesus, reveal to me the true riches of your kingdom. Help me to set my heart on you alone as the treasure beyond compare with any other. Free my heart of any inordinate desires or attachment to other things that I may freely give to you all that I have in joy and gratitude for all that you have given to me. May I always find joy and delight in your presence.” *

 

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From the Catholic Culture website, excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O’Sullivan, O.F.M.

“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” (Matt 13:44-46).

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the first Book of Kings 3:5, 7-12. God gives Solomon a choice of gifts. Solomon asks God for “an understanding mind,” so that he could always do what was just and best for his subjects. God rewards him with the gift of wisdom making him the wisest man that ever lived.

The **second reading **is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:28-30. The theme of this reading concerns the graciousness and mercy of God at work in calling men to himself, justifying them, and glorifying them as well. The point of the reading is the eternal mystery of the ineffable love of God for man, even before man existed.

The **Gospel **is from St. Matthew 13:44-52. The lesson of these two parables is as true for us today, as it was for those Palestinians to whom Christ spoke. All Christians are called on to imitate the two wise men, and surrender all their earthly possessions if necessary in order to gain eternal life. Does this “giving all” mean that we are all expected to abandon the world and take on the religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience? There are many who do just this. But it is not the only way, nor the normal way, to purchase the eternal treasure. Heaven is within the reach of all, who follow the ordinary vocations of life and partake of this world’s joys and pleasures within the framework of God’s commandments, but never lose sight of the goal toward which they are moving.

Keeping within the framework of God’s commandments is the difficulty. We need not have a vow of obedience, but we must obey all legitimate authority. We may possess the goods of this world, but only such goods as we lawfully and justly acquire. Nor may we withhold all of these from a fellow man who is in need. We do not have to take a vow of chastity, but yet we must be chaste, we must use the gifts and the pleasure of sex only within the limits set down by God’s wise laws.

All of this is not easy for human nature. But we are not relying on weak human nature, we have within our reach in the Church all the spiritual and supernatural aids we need. Our twentieth century, it is true, is so engrossed in chasing after the earthly comforts and pleasures of the body, and so devoid of any spiritual or other-worldly outlook, that even those who know and believe that there is an eternity after death, find it hard to allow their faith and convictions to govern and direct their daily actions. Yet, the evil example of others will never justify our wrong-doing. The commandments of God are still binding, even though they are openly and flagrantly violated by individuals and whole nations today.

Remember this: we shall not be asked at the judgment, “What did your neighbor do?”, but “what did you do?” If we lose the pearl of great price in the eternity of happiness God has offered to us-it will not be the fault of others. The fault will be ours and ours only. We refused to pay the price. We did not think it worth the “paltry all” which we possessed in this life.

 

[Crumpy]

the “Sunday Scripture Study for Catholics” website has a wealth of information, for sure.

I skimmed through some of the articles from This Rock magazine that are linked there. I was interested in the articles on refuting sola scriptura.

I’ve put a thread here in the scripture forum about a book by Msgr George Agius titled “Tradition and the Church.” It is an expanded explanation of tradition as a source of divine revelation. It is in agreement, of course, with the main points of the “Rock” articles, but it brings them out even more persuasively (if I may say so) than these articles. One person said this book is in use in a college-level theology class.

So, I offer this reference for anyone who is interested in a deeper look at tradtion. The book was written specifically for Protestants, as a Catholic apologetic, and it seems to be very thorough in that respect. There doesn’t seem to be a leg for “sola scriptura” to stand on.

 

[Fidelis]

the “Sunday Scripture Study for Catholics” website has a wealth of information, for sure.

I skimmed through some of the articles from This Rock magazine that are linked there. I was interested in the articles on refuting sola scriptura.

I’ve put a thread here in the scripture forum about a book by Msgr George Agius titled “Tradition and the Church.” It is an expanded explanation of tradition as a source of divine revelation. It is in agreement, of course, with the main points of the “Rock” articles, but it brings them out even more persuasively (if I may say so) than these articles. One person said this book is in use in a college-level theology class.

So, I offer this reference for anyone who is interested in a deeper look at tradtion. The book was written specifically for Protestants, as a Catholic apologetic, and it seems to be very thorough in that respect. There doesn’t seem to be a leg for “sola scriptura” to stand on.

Thanks for the tip Crumpy-- I’ll be sure to look that one up.

 

[Fidelis]

From Dr. Scott Hahn at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology:

**Treasures of the Kingdom
**
What is your new life in Christ worth to you?

Do you love His words more than gold and silver, as we sing in today’s Psalm? Would you, like the characters in the Gospel today, sell all that you have in order to possess the kingdom He promises to us? If God were to grant any wish, would you follow Solomon’s example in today’s First Reading—asking not for a long life or riches, but for wisdom to know God’s ways and to desire His will?

The background for today’s Gospel, as it has been for the past several weeks, is the rejection of Jesus’ preaching by Israel. The kingdom of heaven has come into their midst, yet many cannot see that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises, a gift of divine compassion given that they—and we, too—might live.

We too must ever discover the kingdom anew, to find it as a treasure - a pearl of great price. By comparison with the kingdom, we must count all else as rubbish (see Philippians 3:8). And we must be willing to give up all that we have—all our priorities and plans—in order to gain it.

Jesus’ Gospel discloses what Paul, in today’s Epistle, calls the purpose of God’s plan (see Ephesians 1:4). That purpose is that Jesus be the firstborn of many brothers.

His words give understanding to the simple, the childlike. As Solomon does today, we must humble ourselves before God, giving ourselves to His service. Let our prayer be for an understanding heart, one that desires only to do His will.

We are called to love God, to delight in His law, and to forsake every false way. And we are to conform ourselves daily ever more closely to the image of His Son.

If we do this, we can approach His altar as a pleasing sacrifice, confident that all things work for the good—that we whom He has justified, will also one day be glorified.

 

[Fidelis]

From Presentation Ministries:

FINISH LINE

“We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His decree.” —Romans 8:28

God the Father, unlike His children, never did a halfway job. God always does everything necessary to complete His work. “Those whom He foreknew He predestined to share the image of His Son” (Rm 8:29). “Those He predestined He likewise called; those He called He also justified; and those He justified He in turn glorified” (Rm 8:30). Paul said: “I am sure of this much: that He Who has begun the good work in you will carry it through to completion, right up to the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6).

If the Lord always finishes His jobs, why do we see so many unfinished Christians and half-built lives? (see Lk 14:28ff) First, we are all “under construction” so it would be expected that God won’t finish with us until later. Second, we don’t always cooperate with the Lord. We are living stones (see 1 Pt 2:5). The Lord will complete His plan of salvation, but we can decide to exclude ourselves. If we are insisting on staying unfinished, the Lord will work with us to lead us to repent. If we decide to repent, He will even take our sinful rebellion and its dire effects and make them work together for our good because He loves us so much (Rm 8:28). Repent and let God finish the masterpiece of your life.

**Prayer: **Father, may I give You glory by finishing the work You gave me to do (see Jn 17:4).

**Promise: **“The reign of God is like a buried treasure which a man found in a field. He hid it again, and rejoicing at his find went and sold all he had and bought that field.” —Mt 13:44

**Praise: **Praise the risen Jesus, Whose sacrifice was complete when He said, “It is finished!”

 

[Fidelis]

on Matthew 13 Catena Aurea- The Golden Chain Of St. Thomas Aquinas. The Golden Chain is a commentary on of the Gospels by the Early Church Fathers compiled together:

44. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hid in a field; which when a man has found it, hides it, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.

**CHRYS; **The foregoing parables of the leaven, and the grain of mustard-seed, are referred to the power of the Gospel preaching, which has subdued the whole world in order to show its value and splendor, He now puts forth parables concerning a pearl and a treasure, saying The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hid in a field. For the Gospel preaching is hidden in this world; and if you do not sell your all you will not purchase it; and this you ought to do with joy; wherefore it follows, which when a man has found it, he hides it.

HILARY; This treasure indeed found without cost; for the Gospel preaching open to all, but to use and possess the treasure with its field we may not without price, for heavenly riches are not obtained without the loss of this world.

JEROME; The he hides it, does not proceed of envy towards others, but as one that treasures up what he would not lose, he hides in his heart that which he prizes above his former possessions
**
GREGORY;** Otherwise; The treasure hidden in the field is the desire of heaven; the field in which the treasure is hidden is the discipline of heavenly learning; this, when a man finds, he hides, in order that he may preserve it; for zeal and affections heavenward it is not enough the we protect from evil spirits, if we do not protect from human praises. For in this present life we are in the war which leads to our country, and evil spirits as robbers beset us in our journey. Those therefore who carry their treasure openly, they seek to plunder in the way. When I say this; I do not mean that our neighbors should not see our works, but that in what we do, we should not seek praise from without. The kingdom of heaven is therefore compared to things of earth, that the mind may rise from things familiar to things unknown, and may learn to love the unknown by that which it knows is loved when known It follows, And for joy thereof he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. He it is that sells all he, has and buys the field, who, renouncing fleshly delights tramples upon all his worldly desires in his anxiety for the heavenly discipline.

JEROME; Or, That treasure in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge is either God the Word, who seems hid in Christ’s flesh, or the Holy Scriptures, in which are laid up the knowledge of the Savior.

AUG; Or, He speaks of the two testaments in the church, which, when any has attained to a partial understanding of, he perceives how great things lie hidden there, and goes and sells all that he has, and buys that; that is, by despising temporal things he purchases to himself peace, that he may be rich in the knowledge of God.

Continued on the next post…

 

[Fidelis]

• 1. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

1. Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.*

CHRYS; The Gospel preaching not only offers manifold gain as a treasure, but is precious as a pearl; wherefore after the parable concerning the treasure, He gives that concerning the pearl. And in preaching, two things are required, namely, to be detached from the business of this life, and to be watchful, which are denoted by this merchant man. Truth moreover is one, and not manifold, and for this reason it is one pearl that is said to be found. And as one who is possessed of a pearl, himself indeed knows of his wealth, but is not known to others, often times concealing it in his hand because of its small bulk, so it is in the preaching of the Gospel; they who possess it know that they are rich, the unbelievers, not knowing of this treasure, know not of our wealth.

**JEROME; **By the goodly pearls may be understood the Law and the Prophets. Hear then Marcion and Manichaeus; the good pearls are the Law and the Prophets.

One pearl, the most precious of all, is the knowledge of the Savior and the sacrament of His passion and resurrection, which when the merchant man has found, like Paul the Apostle, he straightway despises all the mysteries of the Law and the Prophets and the old observances in which may a lived blameless, counting them as dung that he the inn Christ. Not that the finding of a new pearl is of condemnation of the old pearls, but that in comparison of that, all other pearls are worthless.

GREGORY; Or by the pearl of great price is to be understood the sweetness of the heavenly kingdom, which, he that has found it, sells all and buys. For he that, as far as is permitted, has had perfect knowledge of the sweetness of the heavenly life, readily leaves all things that he has loved on earth; all that once pleased him among earthly possessions now appears to have lost its beauty, for the splendor of that precious pearl is alone seen in his mind.

**AUG; **Or, a man seeking goodly pearls has found one pearl of great price; that is, he who is seeking good men with whom he may live profitably, finds one alone, Christ Jesus, without sin; or, seeking precepts of life, by aid of which he may dwell righteously among men, finds love of his neighbor, in which one rule, the Apostle says, are comprehended all things; or, seeking good thoughts, he finds that Word in which all things are contained, In the beginning was the Word, which is lustrous with the light of truth, steadfast with the strength of eternity, and throughout like to itself with the beauty of divinity, and when we have penetrated the shell of the flesh, will be confessed as God.

But whichever of these three it may be, or if there be any thing else that can occur to us, that can be signified under the figure of the one precious pearl, its preciousness is the possession of ourselves, who are not free to possess it unless we despise all things that can be possessed in this world. For having sold our possessions, we receive no other return greater than ourselves, (for while we were involved in such things we were not our own,) that we may again give ourselves for that pearl, not because we are of equal value to that, but because we cannot give any thing more.

Continued on the next post…

 

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*47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a net, that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind:

1. Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

1. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from the just,

1. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.*

**CHRYS; **In the foregoing parables, He has commended the Gospel preaching; now, that we may not trust in preaching only, nor think that faith alone is sufficient for our salvation, He adds another fearful parable, saying, Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea.

JEROME; In fulfillment of that prophecy of Hieremias, who said, I will send to you many fishers, when Peter and Andrew, James and John, heard the words, Follow me, I will make you fishers of men, they put together a net for themselves formed of the Old and New Testaments, and cast it into the sea of this world, and that remains spread until this day, taking up out of the salt and bitter and whirlpools whatever falls into it, that is good men and bad; and this is that He adds, And gathered of every kind.

GREGORY; Or otherwise; The Holy Church is likened to a net, because it is given into the hands of fishers, and by it each man is drawn into the heavenly kingdom out of the waves of this present world, that he should not be drowned in the depth of eternal death. This net gathers of every kind of fishes, because the wise and the foolish, the free and the slave, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, are called to forgiveness of sin; it is then fully filled when in the end of all stings the sum of the human race is completed; as it follows, Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting down on the shore gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away. For as the sea signifies the world, so the sea shore signifies the end of the world; and as the good are gathered into vessels, but the bad cast away, so each man is received into eternal abodes, while the reprobate having lost the light of the inward kingdom are cast forth into outer darkness. But now the net of faith holds good and bad mingled together in one; but the shore shall discover what the net of the Church has brought to land.

JEROME; For when the net shall be drawn to the shore, then shall be shown the true test for separating the fishes.

**CHRYS; **Wherein does this parable differ from the parable of the tares? There, as here, some perish and some are saved; but there, because of their heresy of evil dogmas; in the first parable of the sower because of their not attending to what was spoken; here because of their evil life, because of which, though drawn by the net, that is, enjoying the knowledge of God, they cannot be saved. And when you hear that the wicked are cast away, that you may not suppose that this punishment may be risked,

He adds an exposition showing its severity, saying, Thus shall it be in the end of the world; the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Though He elsewhere declares, that He shall separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; He here declares, that the Angels shall do it, as also in the parable of the tares.

GREGORY; To fear becomes us here, rather than to expound; for the torments of sinners are pronounced in plain terms, that none might plead his ignorance, should eternal punishment be threatened in obscure sayings.
**
JEROME;** For when the end of the world shall be come, then shall be shown the true test of separating the fishes, and as in a sheltered harbor the good shall be sent into the vessels of heavenly abodes, but the flame of hell shall seize the wicked to be dried up and withered.

Continued on the next post…

 

[Fidelis]

• 1. Jesus said to them, Have you understood all these things? They say to him, Yea, Lord.

1. Then said he to them, Therefore every Scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like to a man that is an householder, which brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.*

GLOSS; When the multitude had departed, the Lord spoke to His disciples in parables, by which they were instructed only so far as they understood them; wherefore He asks them, Have you understood all these things? They say to him, Yea, Lord.

JEROME; For this is spoken especially to the Apostles, whom He would have not to bear only as the multitude, but to understand as having to teach others.

**CHRYS; **Then He praises them because they had understood; He said to them; Therefore every Scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like to a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.

AUG; He said not ‘old and new,’ as He surely would have said had He not preferred to preserve the order of value rather than of time. But the Manicheans while they think they should keep only the new promises of God, remain in the old man of the flesh, and put on newness of error.

**ID; **By this conclusion, whether did He desire to show whom He intended by the treasure hid in the field - in which case we might understand the Holy Scriptures to be here meant, the two Testaments by the things new and old - or did He intend that he should be held learned in the Church who understood that the Old Scriptures were expounded in parables, taking rules from these new Scripture seeing that in them also the Lord proclaimed many things in parables. If He then, in whom all those old Scriptures have their fulfillment and manifestation, yet speaks in parables until His passion shall rend the vale, when there is nothing hid that shall not be revealed; much more those things which were written of Him so long time before we see to have been clothed in parables; which the Jews took literally, being unwilling to be learned in the kingdom of Heaven.

**GREGORY; **But if by things new and old in this passage we understand the two Testaments, we deny Abraham to have been learned, who although he knew indeed Some deeds of the Old Testament, yet had not read the words. Neither Moses may we compare to a learned householder, for although he composed the Old Testament, yet had he not the words of the New. But what is here said may be understood as meant not of those who had been, but of such as might hereafter be in the Church, who then bring forth things new and old when they speak the preaching of both Testaments, in their words and in their lives.

HILARY; Speaking to His disciples, He calls them Scribes on account of their knowledge, because they understood the things that He brought forward, both new and old, that is from the Law and from the Gospels; both being of the same householder, and both treasures of the same owner. He compares them to Himself under the figure of a householder because they had received doctrine of things both new and old out of His treasury of the Holy Spirit.

**JEROME; Or the Apostles are called Scribes instructed, as being the Savior’s notaries who wrote His words and precepts on fleshly tables of the heart with the sacraments of the heavenly kingdom, and abounded in the wealth of a house. holder, bringing forth out of the stores of their doctrine things new and old; whatsoever they preached in the Gospels, that they proved by the words of the Law and the Prophets Whence the Bride speaks in the Song of Songs; I have kept for you my beloved the new with the old.
**
GREGORY; Otherwise; The things old are, that the human race for its sin should suffer in eternal punishment; the things new, that they should be converted and live in the kingdom. First, He brought forward a comparison of the kingdom to a treasure found and a pearl of price; and after that, narrated the punishment of hell in the burning of the wicked, and then concluded with Therefore every Scribe &c. as if He had said, He is a learned preacher in the Church who knows to bring forth things new concerning the sweetness of the kingdom, and to speak things old concerning the terror of punishment; that at least punishment may deter those whom rewards do not excite.