Daily Gospel Reflection
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July 26, 2026
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.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household
who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. The full readings of the day from the Lectionary are available here.
In these mini-parables, the kingdom of heaven seems to be a great many different things. When Jesus asks his disciples, “Do you understand all these things?” and they respond with a “Yes,” I am skeptical and annoyed. Do they really understand it all? And if they understand it, why is it so difficult for me to understand? I hear myself asking these questions almost petulantly.
I most certainly do not understand everything Jesus says. As I ruminate on these parables, I think I understand his message at first: it is okay to give up things that seem good for things that are even better, that I will even feel joy in giving up some of what I have when I find what I am looking for: a treasure; a pearl; God’s kingdom. But then Jesus tells the parable about the fish and the sorting, and I’m lost. This one seems to be conveying a different message: a reminder, a caution. Still, I don’t quite understand.
But perhaps I am trying to understand Jesus’ words in the wrong way. The kingdom of heaven is not an intellectual concept for me to wrap my mind around. These words aren’t ones I’m supposed to simply analyze. So instead, I tell God about my skepticism and annoyance. Amidst the confusion and contradictions, I ask God to help me remember that I am not alone as I continue my search for the kingdom of heaven.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, although the peace and wholeness characteristic of your kingdom is hidden, it can be found. Help us to look beyond the ordinary and everyday things and see how everything comes together to bring us closer to you, each other, and ourselves. Help us take advantage of opportunities to dive more deeply into the beauty of life. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Sts. Anne and Joachim were the parents of Mary and are the patron saints of grandparents.
We do not know much about Joachim and Anne—even their names have been handed on to us by tradition. The stories that have come down to us tell that they were likely well-off, and had been childless for most of their marriage. An angel appeared to them both to announce a birth in their old age, and Anne promised to dedicate the child to the service of God. Mary was their only child, and they presented her at the Temple when she was 3 years old, prefiguring the presentation of Jesus.
Though we know little about these people, the Church holds the parents of Mary in great esteem because they were the ones who taught her the faithfulness that she demonstrated in accepting God’s invitation to bear Jesus to the world.
Anne and Joachim are depicted in the Basilica in several places, including many wall murals that depict the life of Mary. They are shown here in this stained glass window from the Basilica, and their relics rest in the reliquary chapel there—including a piece from their house where they raised Mary.
Sts. Anne and Joachim, patron saints of grandparents—pray for us!