The Broken Ones

Today’s gospel can be broken down into four bullet points:

Seek     Find    Give     Receive

We are on a journey toward wholeness. The elixir of life beacons us from deep within. We crave fulfillment. We are heirs to the Kingdom, but the secret to finding our inheritance seems to be an unsolvable mystery until we realize that the mystery is a person: Jesus. Once we discover this not so buried, not so hard to find treasure, we begin changing our lives in order to possess it. The gospel says, “out of JOY (he/she) goes and sells all that he/she has and buys that field.” Joy is the first fruit of knowing Jesus and we must change everything in order to have Him at the center of our lives. It says when the treasure was found, the person hid it again, then sold all to buy the new hiding place. Our relationship with Christ is our own buried treasure in the field of our souls. This field has been purchased at the highest price by the very treasure itself and in order to receive its riches, we must give all to its keeping. 

There are many moments in our lives when we know that we know that we know: Our closest moments to Christ, our epiphanies, our “ah ha” moments, our times of awe and wonder, our witness of miracles, our breath taking experiences, our surges of the heart, our falling in love, our answered prayers, our it is well with our soul moments…these are the pearl of great price and these are the spoils of our treasure found. I hope that we can all find time to ponder our spoils with joy, thanksgiving, and sheer wonder. 

The other day at work, one of my co-workers stopped me after a particularly challenging day in memory care. A few of our sweethearts were having a bad day and tension was high. She just wanted to thank me for, and I quote, “Loving all of our ‘broken ones.’” She said that every time I walk onto the floor I go directly for those that are on the margins, those that are more challenging, and those that are harder to love, and she and the other staff members feel the relief the moment I am there. Of course this took me aback because this kind of affirmation was not this co-worker’s default setting, however, it reminded me of my “Jennifer Server” calling and yes, the “broken ones” are my pearls of greatest price. I will sell what I have, and give all that I am to hold these treasures as my own. 

We have the elixir of true life, the living water of eternity, the answer to all if we take the time to open it buried deep within the field of our soul. It has been purchased for us and now we must give all that we have to enjoy it. I pray that today you celebrate your inheritance with great joy. It is well with my soul. 

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest
Lectionary: 403

Reading 1 EX 34:29-35

As Moses came down from Mount Sinai
with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,
he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant
while he conversed with the LORD.
When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Moses
and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become,
they were afraid to come near him.
Only after Moses called to them did Aaron
and all the rulers of the community come back to him.
Moses then spoke to them.
Later on, all the children of Israel came up to him,
and he enjoined on them all that the LORD
had told him on Mount Sinai.
When he finished speaking with them,
he put a veil over his face.
Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him,
he removed the veil until he came out again.
On coming out, he would tell the children of Israel
all that had been commanded.
Then the children of Israel would see
that the skin of Moses' face was radiant;
so he would again put the veil over his face
until he went in to converse with the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm PS 99:5, 6, 7, 9

R.(see 9c) Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.

Alleluia JN 15:15B

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I call you my friends, says the Lord,
for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 13:44-46

Jesus said to his disciples:
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."