Homily Connect: July 26
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 26, 2020
1KNGS 3:5, 7-12 | ROM 8: 28-30 | MT 14: 44-52
Scripture
The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”
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.
God’s Invitation – Solomon’s Ask
- Solomon requests things that matter
- What would we request?
The Kingdom of Heaven – Buried Treasure
- Our treasure is the human heart
- MT 6:21 tells us: Where your treasure is, there will be your heart
- What is buried within our hearts?
Jesus is the Treasure – the Pearl
- Are we seeking Jesus?
- If our hearts don’t have Jesus then we have a fake imitation
Judging Hearts that are Real
- Before Gospel we hear: May these words be on our minds, spoken from our lips and always treasured in our hearts.
If Jesus is the Pearl, our Lips Should Speak our Living Reflect
- Kindness, comfort, compassion and mercy
- Acts of Justice, respect, dignity, and outreach
- Do I read God’s word each day to keep the pearl close?
Do I Misplace the True Pearl?
- Are my words hurtful, mean, unkind, spiteful, malicious?
- Do my actions put up barricades to others?
- We need to walk the talk of Jesus in real Life
- We may need to cut ties with things and habits are destructive
- We need to have a daily conversion of heart
- MT 6:24 You cannot serve both God and mammon
Today we Celebrate the Most Precious Pearl
- Jesus in the Word and Eucharist
- May we always strive to keep Jesus on our minds, spoken from our lips and always treasured in our hearts.
Questions for Reflection
- What impacted you from today’s Gospel and/or homily?
- What are things your heart longs for? What would be your request to God?
- Would others be able to recognize the pearl that is Jesus buried in your heart?
- What is your biggest struggle with keeping your eye on the true Pearl?
Live Connected
- Consider daily habits that remind you that Jesus is your greatest treasure such as reading Scripture
- Monitor your daily thoughts and words, do they reflect the mercy, love and compassion of your heart’s treasure?