17th Sunday in ordinary time. Today’s readings: 1 Kings 3, 5.7-12; Romans 8,28-30; Matthew 13,44-52.

 

Back in 2011, during a stint in the Holy Land, I got to know a carpet seller who had a shop in Christian Street in the Old City of Jerusalem. One day, as we spoke, a young lad brought him a carpet, hoping to be able to sell it to him. The shopowner knelt down, flipped over the edge of the carpet and, with the air of a real connoisseur and a quick dismissive gesture of the hand, signalled that he would not buy it.

Years later, I read about Warren Buffett, an American multibillionaire who claimed that his success depended on a two-letter word: “No!” Buffett stated: “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” He made this claim while noting that someone should keep saying no until he or she has found the real deal, that which is truly worth choosing.

Finding treasures is not commonplace. It is for this reason that Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven with a treasure hidden in a field which is discovered by a man who is willing to sell everything in order to buy that field.

Recently, I was reminded of this parable when a friend I was with in Rome found a most exquisite little painting in a small corner shop in Rome which contained many items that were not particularly appealing to me. How many times had I walked past this shop during my studies in Rome, totally unaware that it contained such a precious gem at a very reasonable price?

Jesus also compares the kingdom of heaven to a merchant who finds a fine pearl and buys it. The joy that characterises the discovery of the treasure is surely experienced by the pearl merchant too. This is the same joy felt by people who, after years of ambitious plans, hard work, dreams of success, and endless cravings, happily discover that that which is of true worth is staring them in the face, and it is free of charge. It is only by grace that this is possible, as can be seen by the sudden change in priorities, the serious readjustment of goals, and at times, the change of friends and activities that characterised one’s former life.

Though Robin Sharma’s The Monk who sold his Ferrari does not depict the Christian life as such, it speaks about a lawyer, Julian Mantle, who experienced a radical change for the better in his life thanks to foundational principles he embraced.

The list of people who have had a life-changing experience after discovering what is truly essential in life is endless. They are the ones who understood and internalised St Paul’s consoling words: “And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom 8,28).

As I write this piece in Sicily, a number of fires are causing destruction not far from where I am residing. Things go up in smoke, a stark reminder that everything will come to an end. Yet, one can possess something that not even the fiercest flames can destroy. This real treasure is the realisation that your importance is not measured by your personal qualities, your achievements, or even by how others perceive you. Rather, it lies in God’s love for you, which has been revealed fully in the person of Jesus Christ.

Coming to know his unfathomable love is the greatest gift one could have. This treasure is not simply something really worth having, but something you simply cannot do without. The joy of knowing him and the fear of losing him are the signs of whether you have found this treasure or not.

 

stefan.m.attard@gmail.com