17th Sunday Ordinary Time, Year A

"When he found one really valuable pearl, he went back and put up for sale all that he had and bought it."

Lectionary Readings 17th Sunday Ordinary Time, Year A
http://catholic.pcentral-online.net/lectionary/17th-sunday-a.html

The Kingdom of God is a reality that is beyond our human perception. Even our own limited imagination cannot possibly conceive the greatness and the majesty and the richness of this Kingdom. And yet we experience it. And we do feel it in simple ordinary experiences: in prayer, in our service to others, and in our discovery of the love of God for us.

Many of us have undergone conversion experiences. From a life without Christ to a life in Christ. This I believe is what the gospel is reminding us of what people do when they have discovered Christ and the Kingdom of God. At that point in our life when we choose Christ seriously in our lives, we, as it were, give up everything that we consider less valuable to the ultimate value who is Christ. It could be an unethical job in a disreputable company. Or it could be a friend or a group of friends who is leading us to a life of dissipation. Or it can be our materialistic ways, our consumeristic ways and our worldly ambition that could lead to the ruin of our souls. Whatever it was that we valued before we knew Christ, we now disvalue and give away in order to purchase the "pearl of great price" - Christ and His Kingdom.

Many of those around us are unaware that the Kingdom of God can be found here on earth though not yet in its fullness. Christ said that "the Kingdom of God is within you". And this is true as we steep ourselves in prayer and feel a certain oneness with all those who celebrate with us together in the Eucharist.

This gospel tells us that Jesus is emphasizing through the means of parables how valuable the Kingdom of God is. It is so valuable that those who discover it and find it are truly willing to give up their old life, to sell all their possessions, and maybe to give up worldly ambitions, in order to gain this priceless treasure. We who know this truth, continually choose the Kingdom of God everyday in our daily decisions. If we continue to do so, we shall be good examples to others, and in so doing, create that spirit that will build the Kingdom more and make it more visible on earth until it will finally come to fruition when the Lord returns.