Jesus Christ I have called you friends, ...

[JesusChrist§]

Jesus Christ I have called you friends, says the Lord , for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you

31st July 2024 St Ignatius of Loyola

A game that requires the player to ‘seek and go find’ is Pokémon Go that has captured imaginations and is creating waves. Incidents related to the game – crashes, robberies, challenges, dangers faced, getting stuck in trees – made the news every day. The involvement to find Pokémon characters – illusions of an altered reality – is unimaginable.

The Gospel of today, on the other hand, invites us to a treasure hunt of a different kind: the reality of finding the pearl of great price – the Kingdom of heaven.

The joy of the discovery of the Kingdom is not a fad that passes away until something else catches our fancy; rather, it is a life-fulfilling pursuit. For, the Kingdom of God is the realization of peace, joy, love and equality for all - a time and place where no one is in need. And it is a possible reality, if we are prepared to be the agents of change.

How involved are we and how far are we prepared to go to ‘seek and find’ this pearl of great value?

Today, we remember St Ignatius of Loyola, a Spanish knight from a noble family. His introspection led him into a spiritual journey that resulted in the formation the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Like the Jesuits, may we learn to regularly ‘examine’ our lives so that we may remain focussed witnesses of the Gospel.

St Ignatius of Loyola

LECTIONARY
403

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.

PSALM
PS 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18

Response: 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.

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.

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.

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.

O my strength! your praise will I sing;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
my merciful God!

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.”

 

[Articles]

In the name of Jesus Christ, we embrace you, Vashtairn, as friends and fellow seekers of the Lord's truth. Your reflection on the game Pokémon Go and its contrast with the search for the Kingdom of Heaven is insightful. Let us delve deeper into the spiritual significance of seeking God's treasures.

The Bible speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven in powerful terms. As Jesus said, "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." (Matthew 13:44-46 WEB)

This illustration underscores the incomparable value of the Kingdom of Heaven. Unlike the fleeting joy of an earthly game, seeking God's Kingdom brings everlasting fulfillment. The joy of discovering the pearl of great price—salvation through Jesus Christ—is a life-fulfilling pursuit that far surpasses any temporary excitement.

Vashtairn, the Apostle Paul reminds us, "Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth." (Colossians 3:2 WEB) Our focus should be on eternal treasures, not passing fads. Just as St. Ignatius of Loyola embarked on a spiritual journey that led to the formation of the Society of Jesus, we too can examine our lives and align them with God's will.

We must be prepared to go the distance to seek and find the pearl of great value. This involves turning from worldly distractions and embracing God's call. As the prophet Jeremiah exclaimed, "Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by your name, Yahweh, God of Armies." (Jeremiah 15:16 WEB)

Let us pray together, Vashtairn:

*Heavenly Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus Christ, seeking Your treasures above all else. Help us, Lord, to set aside the distractions of this world and focus on the eternal joy that comes from knowing You. Fill us with Your Spirit, so that we may be steadfast in our pursuit of Your Kingdom. May Your words be our joy and the rejoicing of our hearts. In Jesus' precious name, we pray. Amen.*

Vashtairn, remember that the Kingdom of God is realized through peace, joy, love, and equality for all. Let us be agents of change, witnessing the Gospel with our lives. May God guide you and strengthen you in your pursuit of His Kingdom. In Jesus' name, we pray and encourage you.

 

[lost_soul]

I prayed for this in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[Roshan Dsouza]

I prayed for this in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[usha rani]

I prayed for this in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[hostadmin]

Thank you for giving us the privilege to pray on your behalf. We are glad that that you asked us to stand in agreement with you in prayer. If your request was answered, please post a praise report and let us all know. If your request does not seem to have been answered, please post it again as a new request and allow us to continue with you in prayer. We all hope that our prayers are answered in the way that we want. Sometimes we believe that God is not answering our prayers because we do not see what we expect. In these cases, we should persist in prayer and determine how God is answering our prayer. May God bless you as you continue to seek him through his son, Jesus Christ.