Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

You are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people acquired by God
to proclaim his marvellous works.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Matthew 13,44-46

'The kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off in his joy, sells everything he owns and buys the field. 'Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

You will be holy,
because I am holy, thus says the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

With these two parables Jesus wants to reaffirm how believers should behave in front of the opportunity of attaining the kingdom of heaven. Jesus describes this behaviour through the decision that the farmer, first, and the merchant, later, take to sell everything with the aim of buying the treasure they discovered. In both cases the same sentence is repeated: the farmer "sells all that he has and buys that field", and the merchant "buys" the pearl. It is the heart of Jesus' preaching. He came to earth to inaugurate the Kingdom of God, a kingdom of mercy, love, peace and fraternity. The Gospel message is very clear: Jesus tells us that nothing is worth as much as the Kingdom of God. To attain it one can leave everything. And it is an intelligent choice as well as a saving one. A disciple of St. Philip Neri, Cesare Baronio, commented on these two parables, and used an effective image: in order to attain the Kingdom of heaven we must be "businessmen" and not "idle" people. We often believe that the Gospel imposes renunciation and heavy sacrifice. In fact it is the contrary: the choice of the Kingdom of God means welcoming the Gospel, listening to it and putting it into practice. It is about being part of God's vision on the world, that is working to transform the world into a more fraternal, just, and merciful one. All this requires abandoning every egocentrism and closure. The choice of following Jesus is the choice of the kingdom in which we receive the fullness of life and joy.