Dcn. Tom McClelland's Homily:
        Wednesday, 17th Week in Ordinary Time, August 1, 2007

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure buried in a field."  Everyone of us can easily picture a metal chest filled with gold coins.  It is indeed a great treasure!  As Jesus tells this story, he next says that the person to whom he is referring has found the treasure (has seen it and recognizes its great worth) and then hides it again.  With great joy, this person goes away, sells everything that he owns, and buys the whole field.  In the jargon of buying and selling property today, we can be sure that the buyer and his real estate agent will make absolutely certain that his title to the field includes 100% of the oil and mineral rights.  He would let nothing stand in his way of owning and digging up and possessing that treasure.

Each time I hear this scripture story, I seem to interpret it as me (or one of you) finding the Kingdom of Heaven, the great treasure, and doing whatever I have to in order to possess it.  Today, I'd like to recommend different perspective.  Suppose we look at the field through the eyes of Jesus.

Let's suppose that initially Jesus sees the same thing there as you or me.  He sees dirt and weeds and maybe some boulders and small trees.  But he knows that beneath that dirt and ground cover lies a real treasure — you, all of us.  In our Lord's eyes, each of us is a priceless treasure.  We are made in God's image.  And so Jesus goes and sells all he has, that is, his divinity.  St. Paul says, "Being in the form of God, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave."  Jesus gave up everything he had and purchased this treasure — you and me — at the price of his own blood.

Do we ever think about our individual worth in God's eyes?  If we are repentant and strive to walk in God's ways, do we ever imagine what a joy that is to God, our Heavenly Father?  Think about the fact that we are deeply loved by Jesus, who sees in us, everywhere and at all times, a treasure which he ardently desires, and for which has literally given up everything, even his own life, to possess.

Each of us is a child of God.  We are brother and sister to Jesus, his Son.  Our task, written into our hearts, is to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the imprisoned, care for the sick, be chaste and honest and tell the truth.  And our task is to explain this truth to others.  This is the treasure Jesus that sees in us.  This is the treasure we are, and we ought to tend and care for that treasure.

Sometimes our tendency is to think little of ourselves, to diminish ourselves — to assume that we don't amount to much.  Jesus doesn't buy that!  Not for a second.  Each of us is a treasure to him.  We owe it to him to prevent the tarnish that can affect us and steal our luster.  Be the greatest treasure for Jesus that you can be, and you will be part of the Kingdom of God here and now.  The Kingdom of God is not some distant place that we strive to attain, that we are always reaching for.  The Kingdom of God is at hand!  And Jesus has already paid the price for the field.