HOMILY FOR THE 17TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.
THEME: PRICELESS TREASURE OF THE KINGDOM.
BY: Fr. Gerald M. Musa.
Laraba was a managing director of a successful industry where she had worked for nearly two decades. Every day she went out to work and the routine of her work remained the same. She felt that her life was becoming more and more boring and monotonous as it revolved from the office to the house. One day there was an announcement in the Church seeking for volunteers to help in an orphanage. She signed up to help every weekend. The more she worked with these vulnerable and happy children, the more she found joy and fulfilment. A few years later, she resigned from her full-time job to take care of the orphans. Many people considered her decision foolish, but she found joy in what she did. Her former high-paying job was nothing to her compared to the satisfaction she derived from caring for and teaching the children. Many people who were inspired by the compassion of Laraba and her self-sacrifice supported her by offering their resources to help the children. The life of Laraba shows how people can embrace a radical change in their lives as they discover there is more to life than money. She found a priceless treasure in volunteering and she held onto it.
Likewise, the young King Solomon discovered the priceless treasure of understanding and cherished it. After he became king, The LORD appeared to him in a dream at night and said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you” (1 Kings 3:5). This sounds like handing over to Solomon a blank cheque to write whatever amount he needed. Surprisingly, Solomon did not ask for long life, riches, or defeat of his enemies, but rather asked for something unusual. He asked for was the gift of understanding. In his request for this gift, he prayed in the following words:
Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. For who is able to govern this vast people of yours? (I Kings 3:9).
He asked only for understanding and God gave him an additional gift of wisdom. Yes, this is how God answers prayers by giving us more than what we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
Solomon knew that every person needs the gift of understanding from God and that is why the book of Proverbs admonishes: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your understanding” (3:5). We are a people constantly seeking understanding. We want to understand ourselves, we want to understand others, we want to understand the world in which we live, and we want to understand our differences. Notably, Solomon was very clear in his prayers about the kind of understanding he wanted: “An understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong” (1 Kings 3:9).
Solomon recognised the importance of possessing emotional intelligence to effectively discern between right and wrong; to distinguish the appropriate attitudes from the inappropriate ones in life; to be able to understand the complexities of life; to be able to make challenging decisions wisely; to show compassion; to be in tune with his emotions and handle them adeptly; to be able to perceive and be sensitive to the emotions of others.
Solomon was aware of the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. He knew that understanding is a treasure, a pearl of great price and so he was willing to sacrifice every other thing in his life to acquire it. His gift of understanding made him different from kings like Nebuchadnezzar who had sophisticated military power but lacking in understanding and compassion.
The gift of understanding is absolutely important for everyone, including teachers and preachers. Every preacher and teacher needs the gift of understanding to be able to make difficult topics intelligible to students, congregations, and listeners. The Apostle Paul was a great teacher who made every effort to make the message of Christ to be understood by all. For example, He explains one of the mysteries of living in faith: “All things work for good for those who love Christ” (Romans 8:28).
RELATED: HOMILY FOR THE 17TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A
In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus explains another mystery of the kingdom of Heaven. He describes the kingdom as a discovery. He says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a 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” (Matthew 13:44). But it seems crazy to go to sell or give up all you have to enter into the kingdom of heaven. There are three categories of people who are willing to give up everything they have: The first category: People who have fallen head over heels in love with others and are willing to quit their jobs, leave their parents, relocate to another place to follow their hearts. The second category: People who have been hypnotized or charmed to give up everything against their will. The third category: Those who have deeply fallen love in love with God and nothing else matters to them but Him.
When the fire of divine love consumes someone, he makes some radical decisions that make him appear stupid. This explains why the French say: “L’amour de Dieu est folie! (love of God is folly!)” He sells everything to cling to the newfound treasure. A proverb in Hausa language says: “Duk wanda ya kone rumbunsa ya san inda toka ke tsada” (Anyone who sets his barns on fire knows where ashes are expensive). This is to say that anyone who sacrifices precious possessions and relationships to obtain the kingdom has come to realize that entry into the kingdom surpasses everything in life. We are explorers in the world looking for priceless pearls that last till eternity and we give our total commitment of time, energy, and resources to secure the everlasting treasures we cherish most.
17th Sunday of the Year A/ 27 July 2014/ 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52;
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