Daily Gospel Reflection
Join the Notre Dame family of faith. Receive God’s Word and a unique reflection in your inbox each day.
August 2, 2023
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.”
I’m captivated by the merchant’s ease as he gives away everything for the field and pearl. At first glance, we may be tempted to think the decision is easy because it’s logical, even businesslike. The merchant is making a good investment! He will be better off than before.
But here, beneath the language of dazzling jewels and beyond our pervasive market mindset, we find a challenging mandate. Whether the person who buys the field or the merchant who stumbles across the pearl of great price, Jesus invites us to recognize our treasure. And once we do, he calls us—again and again—to commit.
As a young couple navigating a new chapter of adulthood, these questions of treasure and commitment are ever present in the life my husband and I are building. What is worth wanting? To whom and to what will we commit ourselves, and to what place, vocation, joint project, or philosophy of life?
It’s no secret that the culture we’ve created entices us to keep our options open. As we move to new cities and away from beloved ones, we’re tempted to consider our current moment “short-term.” We tell ourselves that we will commit to putting down roots, encountering the poor, and cultivating a life of Christian community, simplicity, and hospitality “in the next five years.”
And yet, Jesus reminds us that it is in giving ourselves away in the here and now (and with us, our options, and our resources) that we find the kingdom of heaven.
In navigating these years of uncertainty and becoming, we ask God for eyes to see: that we might define our treasure wisely, outside of the marketplace and our own ambition. And when we do, that we are courageous enough to boldly, joyfully, wholly commit.
Prayer
Lord God, we desire to be wholehearted in following you, but find that we are often too hesitant. And at times our striving for the Kingdom can feel more like a burden than a treasure. When those times come, we ask that you give us the eyes to see that faith is one of your most precious gifts, and that it is worth giving up everything to find. We ask this through Jesus, your Son and our Lord. Amen.