Wednesday, August 2, 2006
17th Week in Ordinary Time
Eusebius of Vercelli / Peter Julian Eymard



THE BURIED TREASURE

Jer 15:10, 16-21; Ps 59:2-3,4,10-11,17,18; Matthew 13:44-46


Daily Gospel

Opening Prayer

Lord God, our Father,
our heart remains restless
until it has discovered the peace you offer us
in your Son Jesus Christ.
Help us to put our trust and joy
not in brittle, perishable things
but in your Son, his good news
and the kingdom he came to build among us.
Make us poor and receptive,
give each of us an attentive and wise heart
that keeps seeking until we have found you
in Jesus and in people,
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

Introduction to the First Reading

Jeremiah is the first of the prophets to call God into account. Since he has given his life to God and his God-given mission, how come that he has to suffer so much to do God's work? God's answer is: Be converted. Trust in God even in your doubt and continue your mission. It is our lot and way to live with doubts and problems, and still to trust God. He is with us, even if we do not see it. That, precisely, is faith.

First Reading: Jer 15:10, 16 – 21

Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth!
a man of strife and contention to all the land!
I neither borrow nor lend,
yet all curse me.
When I found your words, I devoured them;
they became my joy and the happiness of my heart,
Because I bore your name,
O LORD, God of hosts.
I did not sit celebrating
in the circle of merrymakers;
Under the weight of your hand I sat alone
because you filled me with indignation.
Why is my pain continuous,
my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook,
whose waters do not abide!
Thus the LORD answered me:
If you repent, so that I restore you,
in my presence you shall stand;
If you bring forth the precious without the vile,
you shall be my mouthpiece.
Then it shall be they who turn to you,
and you shall not turn to them;
And I will make you toward this people
a solid wall of brass.
Though they fight against you,
they shall not prevail,
For I am with you,
to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD.
I will free you from the hand of the wicked,
and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 59:2 –3, 4, 10–11, 17, 18

R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

Rescue me from my enemies, O my God;
from my adversaries defend me.
Rescue me from evildoers;
from bloodthirsty men save me.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
mighty men come together against me,
Not for any offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

O my strength! for you I watch;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
As for my God, may his mercy go before me;
may he show me the fall of my foes.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

But I will sing of your strength
and revel at dawn in your mercy;
You have been my stronghold,
my refuge in the day of distress.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

O my strength! your praise will I sing;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
my merciful God!
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

Introduction to Gospel Reading

The two parables of today's stress, each in its own way, that one should give up everything in order to possess the kingdom. In the first parable, the kingdom is the treasure, in the second, not the pearl, not the thing, but the person in constant search of it. Our search should concern the things that really matter: God's reign among people, which, in response to God's grace, we prepare through our love, our justice, our service, our compassion and forgiveness, by which we let Christ's death and resurrection become a reality in our day. But it is a search - an ongoing quest, never fully achieved, but always, so we hope, in growth and progress.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:44-46

       Jesus said to the crowds, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. The one who finds it buries it again; and so happy is he, that he goes and sells everything he has, in order to buy that field.

       Again the kingdom of heaven is like a trader who is looking for fine pearls. Once he has found a pearl of exceptional quality, he goes away, sells everything he has and buys it."

Commentary

Jeremiah is distraught, near despairing, wishing he had not been born, because of what he sees and what the Lord demands that he say to the people. God tells him that he is with him no matter what and will deliver him from the violent. God is his strength.
And the parable tells us that God is our strength, our treasure, wealth, everything. Once we find it then we must rejoice exceedingly and give everything for it. It is as though we found a pearl beyond price but we must have it-the relationship with the Father that Jesus has in the Spirit and the presence of that revealed as justice for all, in abiding peace.

Do we rejoice? Have we sold anything to own the treasure and the field it is hidden in?

 

General Intercessions

- For all Christians, that they may hold dear their faith and their life in Christ and keep living up to their convictions, we pray:

- For the leaders of nations, that as they work for prosperity and progress they may not lose sight of what is essential, that is: people, and the deepest human values, we pray:

- For our young people, that their parents and the Church may hand on to them their living faith and the spirit to serve God and people well, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
create between you and us
a holy communion of love.
Come among us in Jesus Christ
in this eucharist and in daily life
and reign in us, take possession of us,
to rule and forgive, to sanctify and enlighten,
to lead us and to renew us by your grace.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

God our Father,
in this eucharistic celebration
you have again given us your own Son.
Let him nourish in us the growth of your kingdom.
May he open our eyes to the goodness
and yet the relative value of the things of this earth
and let him help us realize
that our human personality and existence
is nothing else than the concrete manner
in which you call us
and in which we respond to your call
to build up your kingdom.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Blessing

We know we are dear to God. May God and our faith and God's kingdom be our joy and treasure. May God be our happiness and may he bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Sprit.

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