17th Sunday Ordinary Time - July 30th, 2023 (Click Here for Readings)

Imagine yourself placed in a sudden role of responsibility and authority that you’re uncertain of being able to fulfill. What thoughts would run first through your mind; the status and rewards of your new position, or the fears and consequences of not being able to meet its challenges?

Would you try to demonstrate to others how capable you are on your own, or would you have the humility to go to God as Solomon did and ask for help, such as “the wisdom of an understanding heart and the ability to distinguish right from wrong.”

The requests we ask of God that aren’t granted may not be always be aligned with his will for us. But the one gift we can be assured of receiving when we pray for it diligently and wholeheartedly is wisdom. In reality, wisdom ought to be our cardinal desire above all wishes. It cultivates our faith, sensitizes us to what’s important and increases in us the motivation to sell off every aspect of our seemingly enjoyable worldly life to gain that cherished prize of eternity with Christ.

What would it take to go all in for God to gain this reward? What would we be willing to sacrifice to be counted among the good in the bucket of fish for the angels to separate mentioned in today’s Gospel?

The kingdom of heaven awaits us when our minds and hearts are focused on living in God’s presence now. It’s a priceless pearl that demands our radical commitment to it. While in this temporal life, we must use our God-given wisdom to recognize his true kingdom and separate it from the superficial signs of worldly joy that can falsely sway us into believing that this is “all there is.”

Let us relentlessly pray for God’s grace to remove our attractions toward cheaper and seemingly easier alternatives to happiness and peace offered by the world.

The one true pearl of great price that we as Catholics can receive right here and now in this world is the Holy Eucharist. It’s the pearl of Jesus’ body and blood he gave to us in his love and desire for our companionship. God treasures us and proves it by predestining us to be conformed to the image of his son, as St. Paul tells the Romans. The sequence of being predestined, called, justified and glorified can be embraced by us when we conform ourselves to the image and imitation of Christ. This is our calling and challenge in a world that lures us away from what God calls us to be.  

God calls all of us in a communal context. So let us all accept this call to conversion and take our journey communally toward oneness with our mighty Lord and Savior.

Let us remain strong, confident and motivated by the great prize at the end.

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