Hidden treasure

 ‘…and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. ‘(Matthew 13:44)

Matthew 13:44-52 (Year A: Trinity+6)

What is most treasured in one’s heart? Exploring and having this tested can be very revealing. 

And what is the bottom line?

What price am I prepared to ‘pay’?

Do I/you/we know what really is treasured as distinct from what we say is treasured?

Above all else what is the precious treasure or pearl of great price that I am not prepared to give away – ever?

Being clear about our goals, our values and our treasures is key to life’s journey and progress. It is a lifetime quest. But, it is worth it because a treasure of greatest price is just that.

In this passage the field may refer to our heart. First, joy. Then going away to ‘sell all’ and coming back to ‘buy’ that treasure. Life is full of choices. We have our chances, we make our choices and we yield their fruits.

(And Mary treasured all these things in her heart.)

Above all we are treasured by the One who invites us to be our treasure. A light and an energy that is reflected and refracted in our very human treasures of loving and being loved.

Sorting out the good, the bad and the ugly

 ‘…Let both grow together until the harvest’  (Matthew 13:30)

Matthew 13:24-43 (Year A: Trinity+5)

The idea of separating wheat from weeds is intuitively obvious. The wisdom of waiting ‘until harvest time’ before sorting out one from the other also makes sense. The parable is explained in terms of separating the good from the evil. 

In our daily living we encounter good and bad within ourselves and within others. Sometimes it is hard to tell one from the other. Moreover, it is too easy to rush to judgment especially when it concerns the behaviour or supposed intentions of others. Sometimes it is best to wait for the right occasion to address the ‘unwanted weeds’ bearing in mind, also, that we can get it wrong because ‘weeds’ have been described as ‘unloved flowers’. Stressing the positive in ourselves and others may be the first step to tackling what is not positive.

However, we also need to face up to the very reality of evil when it involves exploitation, oppression, lies, violence and hatred. Too often institutions, leaders in church, state and civil society avoided confronting evil by turning a blind eye or claiming defence of the good name of the entity as whole. In some cases they were complicit in the very evil itself directly or indirectly through omission of steps to protect those whom they should have protected.

In any situation of conflict, challenge and moral contestation those involved need to show tact, care, wisdom, patience and courage in doing what needs to be done. Leaving matters to others is not a right option. Neither is a one-sided blinkered approach that supposes we know who is in the right and who is in the wrong. Typically it is not black and white even though a misuse of the parable of the wheat and the weeds from this Gospel passage  sees ‘them’ (all in wrong and evil) and ‘us’ (all in the right and good).

Spotting and tending the weeds in our own hearts and souls is a good starting place. But, it does not stop there.

Flourishing where we are planted

‘…Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop.’  (Matthew 13:8)

Matthew 13:1-23 (Year A: Trinity+4)

The parable of the sower is frequently cited to incite openness to the Word. From among the worries, cares, hardness and back-sliding the story urges us to be like fertile soil – open, ready, receptive and active. But there is another take on this. Perhaps we feel that we are planted in a very stony place at this time and in this place? And we feel trapped there. The story of the sower urges us to think again. We may be called to thrust down deep roots where we are. And miracles can happen in the ordinary.

True rest

 ‘…Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’

Matthew 11:25-30 (Year A: Trinity+3)

This is a very familiar passage from the Gospel of Matthew. Many will know it by heart. It echoes many other passages of scripture including, for example, Psalm 23 (‘The Lord is my Shepherd’).

‘Come to me..’

Coming to a place or person or state of mind is the first step. It means going to something and someone greater than our immediate situation where we can be ourselves.

 ‘.. all who are weary and burdened..’

It means coming as just as we are warts and all, worries and all and wants and all (WWW) Specifically, it could mean putting aside special times and places where we can be still for a few moments. The morning can be a good time. Also the evening. Or, in the middle of the day. Or, any other time depending.

‘..and I will give you rest..’

The rest spoken of here is an inner freedom together with a certain underlying peace and contentedness even in the midst of great anguish, stress and sadness (..peace is never without a price).

‘Take my yoke upon you..’

Taking on the yoke of discipleship means dying/denying/losing in a certain way in regards to our own plans, opinions, terms of reference and ways of framing the world around us and within.  It means following a call to serve others in ways that we never thought of or expected.

‘and learn from me..’

Learning is about changing. Learning is about being open to experience, example and doing with others. It is not to be confused with teaching which may lead to learning. But not all learning (or teaching) are positive. A lot of learning can be about Unlearning.

‘..for I am gentle and humble in heart..’

The most powerful form of learning is that which is associated with the example of a teacher who is gentle, honest and humble because the One who exemplifies is a humble suffering servant foreshadowed in the Old Testament/Hebrew scriptures. (many see this as applicable to Pope Francis).

‘..and you will find rest for your souls.’

Finding rest is the fruit of trust and abandonment to God’s will as it is revealed to each one of on the path of life. How do we know when we find rest for our souls? This question is redundant when we find such rest!

‘..for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’

Really? Following the high road of lowly service is counter-cultural and always was.  In what sense is the yoke of discipleship ‘easy’ or its burden ‘light’? It is the sense that by putting aside our plans and our wishes we find new plans and new wishes that release new depths and expressions of human creativity that we never imagined or dreamed of. The problem, too often, is that our world view and ‘wish-fors’ are small world shadows.

Life is too short to drink bad wine and coming to Jesus and taking his yoke is much too attractive to turn down. Be reckless. Be open to restfulness you never dreamt of.