In our parish we continue to make up sacraments which were not able to be received at their proper time. This morning I receive into the church one who would of been received into it at the Easter Vigil and I confirm three others who would of been confirmed by Bishop Stika at Pentecost. For these individuals we can say that they have found “a treasure buried in a field” and thus “a pearl of great price.”
If I say the word “treasure” one of the first things that will probably pop into your mind are pirates and their pursuit of buried treasure. There have been many movies which revolve around this theme from the likes of Treasure Island, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Goonies to name a few. This pursuit for buried treasure, no matter how glamorous that it may seem, can never fulfill us.
This “buried treasure” that is alluded to in our Gospel refers not to an early treasure which will pass away with the passing of time, but instead a treasure which is eternal and will endure forever. This is not the treasure of pirates or our earthly life which can only take us so far, but this is the treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven. The more that we allow ourself to enter into the mysteries of our faith the more we will make room for this treasure to give growth within our life.
We must remember that everything which is important requires work, sacrifice, and suffering. One does not simply become the greatest of athletes by chance, but must work at perfecting their craft. To do this is to sacrifice for they must give up time and suffer as they prepare their body to excel at this task. Many understand the concept of a pearl being worth something, but they look past the way in which the pearl is begot. The pearl is begot by suffering. Thus in order to obtain this earthly treasure an oyster must first suffer when sand enters into it and its body creates a defense mechanism which creates the pearl in order to rid itself of this irritant.
If we are convinced of the important of the Kingdom of Heaven when it relates to this treasure we too must be willing work, sacrifice, and suffer. To those who rebuke such an understanding I invite you to glance upon the crucifix in order to see our Lord’s great love for us as He lays down His life to bring about our salvation. Despite the suffering that is revealed to us here we can see the total surrender that comes from its freeing effect.
May we ourself to join in this total surrender that is offered by our Blessed Lord. May we come to see our work, our sacrifices, and our suffering as a means which allows us to grow in this liberating effect that is expressed to us from the cross. Indeed the “so called” treasures of this world will pass away. We cannot believe that these “so called” treasures will be what fulfills us in this life. Instead may we be so convinced of that “pearl of great price” and upon finding this “buried treasure” may we come rejoice and chase after what is truly important, the Kingdom of Heaven. May we strive for this kingdom above all thing and allow nothing to subtract or to take priority over this reality.
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