Treasure Hunting

OT 17^th Sunday                     “Treasure Hunting”              July 27, 2014

1 Kgs 3:5,7-12                       Ps 119                        Rom 8:28-30             Mt 13:44-52

This weekend we conclude our amazing journey through the Parables of Matthew.  These are intense lessons that we need to take to heart.  Let’s review just a little bit of what we have learned.

Two weeks ago we heard the parable of the sower and the seed.  This parable revealed three basic problems that prevent true conversion:  ignorance, shallowness, and distractions, represented by the hard path, the rocks, and the weeds.  The solution is obvious.  Good soil is represented by cultivation of spiritual knowledge, spiritual depth, and spiritual focus.

Last week we heard the parables of the good seed and the weeds, the mustard seed, and the yeast in the dough.  These parables revealed the truth that God is loving and patient, always working for our conversion.  And our conversion grows like a little seed or like yeast.  This is the work of God in us.  God invites us to enter into more deeply into prayer, into his presence.  It is there with God that the kingdom grows in our hearts, like yeast making the dough to rise.

With this foundation, the Lord invites us to go deeper this week.  Our final three parables are the Treasure Buried in the Field, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Net Thrown into the Sea.  Two of the parables are about hunting for spiritual treasure and the last one is about the end of the age and the separation of the wicked from the righteous.

So let’s go treasure hunting first.  Now, when I was a boy one of the fun things we did in our family on birthdays was to send the person on a quest to get their present.  So the birthday card had the first clue.  They had to solve the clue to get the next clue, and so forth, until they got to the place where the present was.  This was a lot of fun.  I loved writing clues, coming up with clever hints to lead the recipient to their present.

Treasure hunting is a very human thing.  We love adventure.  We love solving a mystery.  And God, knowing our human curiosity, leads us further into his kingdom by sending us on a treasure hunt.  God wants to lead us to joy, and to the ultimate treasure of the eternal kingdom.  In fact, the treasure is here among us, we just need to discover it for ourselves.

God gives us the map to find spiritual treasure.  All of the clues are found in Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Teaching of the Church.  With these three things as markers on the map, we are able to find that treasure in the field, that pearl of great price, that is worth more than all of the stuff that we possess.

Now, to read the map, we need to make sure that we hear the voice of Jesus our Good Shepherd.  This is fundamental.  Every single one of us is called in this day and time to train ourselves in hearing the voice of Jesus in our lives.  As the signs of the times continue to unfold, those who hold firmly to listening to the voice of Jesus will find their treasure.

Remember, Jesus loves each and every one of us and wants to speak to our hearts.  He wants to lead us further into joy.  Remember this, no matter what else is happening in the world, no matter what the evil one tries to throw at us.  God is love.  God is good.  God leads us into life.  This is the very nature of God.  So His voice is the one we want to hear, rather than the corrupting voices of the spirit of the world.

So let us train ourselves to hear the voice of Jesus.  I offer to you three “clues” for hearing the voice of Jesus. 

#1.  Ask Jesus to speak to you.  Ask with faith, expecting Jesus to say “yes.”  Remember, Jesus loves you wants to speak to your hearts and lead you into life.  So ask.  Spend time in prayer with Jesus and ask.   He will be delighted when you do this.

#2.  Use the Mass as your treasure field.  Here at Mass we proclaim the Word of God, we pray powerful prayers, we sing wonderful songs, we preach homilies – and try to make them good.  In all of these instances, even in the silence, God will speak to our hearts.  That moment of Holy Spirit inspiration will come if we listen expectantly.  That is the voice of God.  So pay attention!  Come to Mass prepared to worship and to listen.  The soul that is prepared by cultivating spiritual knowledge, spiritual depth, and spiritual focus will be the soul that finds the treasure of God’s voice.  Whereas the soul that is ignorant, shallow, and distracted will have no chance to find the treasure.  So, dear people, prepare your souls for Mass carefully.  Choose to make the Mass your treasure field, like in the parable today.  If we do that, then we will be able to hear the Lord speaking to our hearts.  And from the heart of the Mass, Jesus will lead us to discover yet even more treasure.

#3.  Write down what Jesus shows you.  When God speaks to our hearts, it is the most important thing we can hear.  So let’s do this together.  Get a notebook, or a journal, or a folder.  Write down the inspirations you receive and keep them.  The words of Jesus are “pearls of great price.”  Decide to keep them as priceless gifts from the Lord.  Get a spiritual notebook.  Write down what Jesus tells you and shows you. 

The final parable is the Net Thrown into the Sea.  This represents the end of the age and the final judgment – the separation of the righteous from the wicked.  For each and every single one of us, this judgment is right around the corner.  It comes at the end of our lives on earth.  And for each of us, no matter how old we live to be, the time is now to say “yes” to God’s plan for our lives.  Do not delay conversion.

And for all of us here, I say that reading the signs of the times leads us to believe that we are on the edge of a great storm in the world.  A time great change and of the sifting of people’s hearts.  A time of separation where the darkness will grow increasingly dark.  But the light of God’s saints will shine ever more brightly.  

The Lord leads us on an amazing journey.  May our hearts become that good cultivated soil where the seed of God’s word can take root.  May our homes become that place where the seed can grow and bear fruit.  May our lives demonstrate the great treasure that is being given to us – the gift of Jesus himself, who is leading us to eternal life.

OT - 16th Sunday. Parables: the wheat & the weeds, the mustard seed, the yeast in the dough

OT 16^th Sunday                                                                                            July 20, 2014

Wis 12:13,16-19                  Ps 86              Rom 8:26-27                        Mt 13:24-43

Last weekend we began a series of readings from the parables in the Gospel of Matthew.  Today, and next weekend, we will continue to hear the parables of Jesus.  These parables are amazing, multilayered teachings from Jesus.   Our job is to listen carefully, pondering the layers of meaning.  When we give time to prayer, study and meditation on the scriptures, then God is faithful to give us power for conversion. 

In order to hear scripture fruitfully I want to teach a little prayer.  It is simple and you don’t need the exact words, just the idea of it.  Something like this:

Lord, open my ears to hear your Word.  Lord, open my mind to understand your Word.

Lord, open my heart to believe your Word.  Lord, open my life to live out your Word.

Let’s do a quick review of last week’s parable - the sower and the seed. Jesus taught his listeners three basic problems people have that prevents true conversion.

Problem #1.  Spiritual ignorance - symbolized by the seek falling on the hard path.  These people hear the word of God without understanding it.  How many people have lost their faith through spiritual ignorance?

Problem #2.  Spiritual Shallowness - symbolized by the seed falling among the rocks.  These people hear the word of God but have no real relationship with Jesus and his Church.  How many people have lost their faith through spiritual shallowness?

Problem #3.  Spiritual Distractions - symbolized by the seed falling among thorns.  These people can’t even hear the word of God because they are so distracted.  How many people have lost their faith because of frivolous distractions?

The solutions are obvious.  Jesus calls us to:

1.   Spiritual Knowledge.  Cultivate our souls through study of sacred scripture, sacred tradition, and church teaching

2.  Spiritual Depth.  Cultivate our souls through regular prayer and worship.

3.  Spiritual Focus.  Cultivate our souls by making Jesus our highest priority.

With this foundation in mind, Jesus gives us three more parables today - the wheat and the weeds, the mustard seed, and the yeast in the dough.  Each parable expands on the idea of the seed, the Word of God, sown by the sower, Jesus.  Each has a common idea - the seed that is sown.  Each has a common thread – describing how the kingdom of God emerges in the world and in our lives.  Let’s take a closer look to see what Jesus wants to show us in these parables.

1st Parable:  The good seed and the weeds.  This parable describes God’s mercy and justice.  The good crop and the weeds grow side by side.  But God waits until the end before sorting it all out.  This is true for the world.  God is infinitely patient, and desires the conversion of all.  This is true for each of us too, because each of us stands between sin and sanctity.  In mercy God waits for our conversion.  And in justice, God will in the end separate the wheat from the weeds, the good from the evil. 

We all have to ask ourselves an important question.  What am I cultivating in my life? A good spiritual harvest?  Or am I too much in the field of the evil one among the weeds of life?  Remember, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

This is the kingdom of God working in us.  It is like a field where seeds are sown.

2nd Parable:  The mustard seed.  This parable describes the power of the gospel to take root and grow.  The mustard seed is very tiny, but grows into a huge shrub.  In Palestine these shrubs are everywhere.  The Kingdom of God is like that.  Sometimes the smallest word of the gospel has the lasting impact on a person’s life.  St. Theresa of the Little Flower of Jesus based her own conversion on doing small things with great love.  Think of what this means!  When we ask the Holy Spirit to guide our words and actions, then -

- how we share encouraging words of faith with others;

- how we do works of loving service as evidence of faith ;

is like the tiny seed that can become something amazing. 

This is the kingdom of God working through us - like a mustard seed that grows into a large shrub.

3rd Parable:  The yeast in the dough.  This parable describes the power of the gospel to effect change.  If you have ever baked bread, then you know that it only takes a tablespoon of yeast for about 4 cups of flour.  The first part is the hard part - kneading.  It’s the work of mixing, rolling, and twisting of the dough to get the consistency just right.  Life can be like that.  But if that is all there is then nothing special happens.

The amazing part comes when the dough is put aside for a while to rise quietly.  In the spiritual life, this is the essential time given to quiet prayer, study, and contemplation.  This is like the yeast in the dough.  Only in the quiet of prayer, study, and contemplation do we find the real power for personal transformation.  When we give time for this to happen, then the change that comes with our conversion is magnificent.  This is the kingdom of God working in our hearts.  It is like yeast in the dough.

God is announcing to us the secrets of the kingdom – calling us to righteousness so that we might shine like the sun in the heavenly kingdom.

Those who have ears, let them hear!

welcome back

Hi everybody.  After a very long hiatus from blogging, I am back.  This site has lain fallow since well before I moved from Shelbyville.  Now, with an updated design I am bringing it back.  Here you will find my homilies, reflections, and general musings on the signs of the times.  May we all grow together in God's kingdom.

peace,
Fr. Bill

Whoever has ears, let them hear! The parable of the sower and the seed.

OT 15th Sunday                                                                      7-13-2014

Is 55:10-11          Psalm 65          Rom 8:18-23          Mt 13:1-9

For three weekends this July we get to listen to parables from the Gospel of Matthew.  Today is the parable of the sower and the seed.  Next Sunday we will hear the parables of the wheat and the weeds, the mustard seed, and the yeast in the dough.  And at the end of July we will hear the parables of the buried treasure in the field, the pearl of great price, and the fishnet full of fish of every kind.

Parables are great.  They are multilayered, kind of like an artichoke.  Ever cook and eat an artichoke?  You pull the layers off to get the soft part of the leaf at the bottom.  Dip it in butter and eat it.  Yum.  Layer after layer.  Parables are like that.  So our job is to listen closely at Mass and ponder the layers of meaning.  When we give time to prayerfully study and meditate on the scriptures, then God is faithful to give us power for conversion.  Conversion of our own lives and of our community.

In order to hear scripture fruitfully I offer a little prayer I like to use.  You’ve heard me say it before.  It’s simple.  Something like this:

Lord, open my ears to hear your Word.  
Lord, open my mind to understand your Word.

Lord, open my heart to believe your Word.  
Lord, open my life to live out your Word.

Easy.  With that prayer to help us, let’s go forward.  This first parable is the farmer who sowed the seed in the field.  Now, in any field, there is the main area that has good tilled earth, soft and ready.  This is usually the middle of the field.  And we know what the margins of the field are like.  Fence rows with weeds, paths, and rocky areas. So when sowing seeds - avoid the bad spots and farm where the seed will grow.  Right?

But Jesus’ farmer is different.  The seed is being thrown everywhere - on the path, on the rocky ground, in the middle of the weeds, as well as on the good soil.  Now remember, this parable is not really about farming techniques.  Instead, it is about God’s method for cultivating our souls.  So the sower is Jesus, the seed is the gospel, and our souls are the field.   God brings us his Word of salvation no matter what condition our souls are in.  In this parable Jesus teaches about what prevents us from growing in our faith.  So let’s take a deeper look.

Problem #1.  Ignorance.  This may be the #1 reason why some Catholics leave the Church.  We have a rich deposit of faith, but some people don’t bother to study it and understand it. They come to Mass occasionally but not every Sunday.  They bring their kids to RE classes or Catholic school, but don’t really practice the faith at home.  So the kids grow up ignorant of the faith because the parents never understood it or practiced it.   They don’t want to grow in knowledge. They are ignorant of their faith.  And so they are easy prey for the devil, who comes to steal their faith.  They leave the Church.  They may go to another religion that tickles their fancy or they stop going all together.  How many people have lost their faith because of ignorance? 
never understood it or practiced it.

People of God – Decide today to grow in knowledge of the faith.  Let’s cultivate our souls through study of sacred scripture, sacred tradition, and church teaching.

Problem #2.  Shallowness. This is the 2^nd problem Jesus addresses.  These people have some knowledge of the faith BUT– there is not much of a relationship with Jesus and with his church.  They can be enthusiastic while times are good.  But when the difficulties come, then they fall away. They were never transformed by a deeper relationship with Jesus and his Church.  That relationship is cultivated through a personal commitment to ongoing prayer and worship.  But they don’t do that and so they are shallow in their faith.  They are easy prey for the devil, who comes to steal their faith.  How many people have lost their faith because of spiritual shallowness?

People of God - let us make a decision today for spiritual depth.  Let’s cultivate our souls by seeking true spiritual depth together through regular prayer and worship.

Problem #3.  Distractions.  This is the third problem Jesus addresses - distractions.   He specifically mentions anxiety and the lure of riches.  This one is so relevant for today.  We have many distractions.  There is so much noise all around us and even inside our heads.  It is easy for people to become completely distracted.  And then, before we know it, there is no time for personal prayer.  Sunday Mass is merely another option for the weekend.  Time for spiritual growth can’t compete with work, or sports, or other activities.  The gospel of Jesus has no opportunity to change these people because there is no time or place for it.  They have a malnourished and shallow faith because of too many distractions.  And so they are easy prey for the devil, who quickly steals their faith.  How many people have lost their faith because of distractions?

People of God - let us make a decision today to set aside distractions and make Jesus and his Church our highest priority.  Let’s cultivate our souls by putting God first.

God desires to cultivate our souls for the salvation of the world.  What the church does in Marion County truly matters – not just for our own community but even for the whole world.  So here is the guarantee of the Word of Christ we hear today.  A soul prepared by spiritual knowledge, spiritual depth, and spiritual focus will bear a rich harvest.  A harvest of love.  A harvest of service.  A harvest of holiness.  A harvest that can truly change the world.

Whoever has ears – let them hear!