(Source from The Word Among Us)

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. (Matthew 13:44)

Today’s Gospel begins with two parables that, taken together, illustrate a paradox about the kingdom of God. In the first parable, a man discovers, quite by surprise, a treasure “buried in a field” (Matthew 13:44). In the second, a merchant also comes across a great treasure—this time, a pearl—but only after searching very hard for it. So what is the kingdom of God like? Is it something we discover by grace? Or is it something we find through diligent seeking?

Jesus seems to be saying that it’s both.

On the one hand, God in his infinite goodness pours grace into our lives whether we are seeking him or not. He buries rich treasure in the field of our lives—treasures of his kindness, his love, his presence—in the hopes that we will find them, and so find him. God provides these gifts for everyone, just as he causes the rain to fall “on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).

At the same time, there are some graces that we discover only as we seek the Lord. The very act of searching for God opens our hearts more fully to his grace. It stretches us and makes us more willing to let go of anything that would keep us from him. And the more we seek him, the more our capacity for his grace grows. As we “sell” what we have, we experience even more of his goodness, mercy, and joy.

God has so much that he wants to give us. But this all-powerful, ever-generous God will not force his grace upon us. We have to choose to receive it. Even the man who finds the buried treasure by surprise ends up selling all he has “and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44)!

Today, ask the Spirit to help you unearth the treasures of grace in your field. Ask him to help you “sell all you have” to find the Lord and his pearls of grace. Pursue him with all your heart! You won’t be disappointed.

“Lord, you are my treasure!”