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Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21
Matthew 13:44-46

The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field . . .

These days, when we look at our world, when we look at our Church it seems like a big mess. It is easy to think that things are worse now than they have ever been and that things were better and the world a more decent place in the past.

But here is a question…. Have you ever wondered what a treasure was doing buried in a field?

In Jesus’ time people buried their valuables when they expected to be attacked by an enemy and hoped that they would survive to retrieve them. The original owners of the treasure in this parable obviously did not survive. Times weren’t so good then either.

Jesus compares the Kingdom of heaven to a treasure that was buried and lost during bad times.

During difficult times we can feel as if not just our treasure, but we ourselves, are overwhelmed. We put all our effort into keeping our heads above water and can lose sight of what is most important to us.

Summer can be a good time to take a step back, to think, to reflect and pray – to reconnect with ourselves and with our God.

If you are fortunate enough in the next few weeks to have a little time to yourself use it to recover your treasure. What is your pearl of great price? What is the treasure for which you would sell all you have?

Sister Mary Ann Strain, CP lives in Union City, NJ and helps represent the Passionists at the United Nations.