Scripture reading: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12; Ps. 118:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130; Rom. 8: 28-30; Mt. 13:44-52
(17th Sunday of the Ordinary Time).
Fabiola came from a patrician family and lived in the fourth century. She got married at a young age to a man who lived a vicious life. She obtained a civil law, contrary to Canon law. She contracted her second marriage before the death of her first husband. She was very rich; she had immense property. At the death of her second husband, Fabiola renounced everything and sought reconciliation during the Easter vigil. She dressed in a penitential garb. She did penance in public. She erected a hospital in Rome and gave large amounts of money to the church. She also built a large hospice for the pilgrims in Rome. Marcela was another woman who lived during the same time in the fourth century. She got married at the young age after the death of her father. Her husband passed away within a couple of months. Rather than remarrying, as was the Roman custom, she decided to devote herself to God. She owned a palace in Aventine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. She turned it as a refuge for those women who wish to devote their lives to God and the Church. She renounced lavish meals, material possessions and sexual pleasures. Marcela started an informal convent which was Roman monasticism until the time when the Goths invaded Rome in 410. They ransacked her palace searching for treasures. The soldiers beat her to learn the hiding place of her wealth. She succumbed to the injuries.
Sts. Fabiola and Marcela were rich women. They renounced all their worldly treasures and pleasures. The man behind their conversion was St. Jerome. He was the one who translated the Bible into Latin. He had dedicated himself to scriptural studies. He showed them Jesus is the treasure of the world. Once they found the treasure, they renounced everything in pursuit of it.
Today’s liturgy helps us to understand the most important treasure in the world. In the first reading, King Solomon is given the opportunity by God to ask for what he wishes as he takes over the kingship from his father David. Solomon says, “Give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to distinguish right from wrong.”
Solomon displayed great wisdom. He requested for an understanding heart. It would help him to play his role as a servant of God, he would understand his people with compassion; his listening skills would make him capable of being a wise decision-maker in order to become a nation builder. Solomon did not ask for wealth. He asked for wisdom which is called a pearl of a great price.
In the Gospel, we continue to reflect on the parables. I shall concentrate on the first parable on the hidden treasure. In ancient times, there was no paper-money, people kept their valuables in the form of gold, silver or jewellery. But in times of war, the enemies were always on the lookout to plunder these treasures. At the enemy’s approach, people would bury their treasures in the field. But often the owner would die, carrying the secret of the place of the hidden treasure. Now Jesus knew the laws of the Romans and the Jews very well. According to the law of the Jews, the owner could claim back the treasure from the finder but the Roman law favoured the person who found it. In the parable, the finder purchased the land from the owner in order to be covered legally because he knew the worth of it but at the same time, he sold all he had. The action demanded determination to acquire the hidden treasure. Here the treasure is compared to the Kingdom of God. Jesus is the Kingdom itself. The one who listens to Jesus and follows him, he possesses the kingdom of God. He is ready to sacrifice everything in order to possess Jesus in his life.
Sts Fabiola and Marcela were rich and possessed everything to live in luxury. They came in contact with St. Jerome for the love of the scriptures. They changed their lives. They gave up everything to possess Jesus in their lives. King Solomon too did not ask for riches, long life and the downfall of his surrounding enemy. He asked for an understanding heart to govern his people. He chose to be a servant of God. He sought to do God’s will in his life. Once they knew the treasure in Jesus, they all went in pursuit of it.
Today, we are celebrating Parent’s Day. We remember Sts Anna and Joaquim, the parents of Our Blessed Mother and the grandparents of Our Lord. They too sought the will of God in their lives. Nothing much is written about them. The Holy Scriptures does not say anything about them. We can only understand their influence on the life of Our Blessed Mother who promptly said Yes to God’s marvellous plans of salvation. Her yes brought Jesus in this world. She could say yes to God because Sts Anna and Joaquim had raised her in religious life carefully. They must have lived an exemplary holy life. We remember them today because they did the will of God in their lives. They too found a treasure in their lives.
All of them set their hearts on the treasure and they found it. Have you made Jesus the treasure of your life? Set your heart on him and you will find it.
