Homily: The Greatest Treasure
Most of us are familiar with the Antiques Roadshow! If you are not, google it later. People bring their old stuff from home to be evaluated by experts, sometimes to them its treasure, sometimes they just hope it might be worth something. Some go away disappointed, and some are told that this bit of junk is worth a lot of money.
You never know what's going to turn up as a treasure. It could be something like an old coin that's been lying around, a baseball card that nobody thought was special, or some antique that's been collecting dust on a shelf. One minute it's just something taking up space, and the next minute someone tells you that it's really valuable, way more than you ever thought possible.
My parents owned an antique shop, and they often took great delight in finding something that was valuable or unique that others thought was junk or worthless. They would become like little kids, full of excitement, wonder, and joy. Sometimes they would use their last bit of money to purchase the precious items.
That excitement, that exact feeling Jesus wants to give us in today’s two short parables.
A man discovers a treasure buried in a field. Another man finds the finest pearl he has ever seen. Both immediately sell everything they own.
According to Matthew, the first man left feeling completely overjoyed. His thoughts weren't filled with worries like "I have to get rid of all my stuff." Instead, he was thrilled, thinking "This is amazing, I've stumbled upon something incredible!"
That's the difference.
When you stumble upon something that's precious, you don't waste your time thinking about the price tag. Instead, you just feel thankful that you've discovered it. It's like finding a treasure - you're so happy to have it that you don't care what it cost, you're just grateful it's yours.
I felt this way when I had found the monastery here, and Fr. Anastasius too shared the joy he felt on his first night in the monastery! Neither of us thought about what sacrifices we might have to make, but what a wonderful thing we had found.
I think sometimes we Christians accidentally give the impression that following Jesus is mostly about giving things up. We talk about sacrifice, rules, obligations, and crosses to carry. Those things are certainly part of discipleship.
But before any of that comes joy.
The early followers of Jesus were drawn to him because he brought a profound transformation in hearts and in their lives. They experienced forgiveness, which gave them a new lease on life. They found hope, a sense of purpose that guided them through life's challenges. And they discovered a love that was more powerful than any obstacle, even death. This love was Jesus, and once they encountered him, nothing else seemed to matter. He was the one who changed everything, and they were forever changed by knowing him.
What do I treasure most?
What we treasure has a big impact on how we live our lives.
If following Jesus is just one more burden I have, more set of laws and rules I must follow, then faith will eventually feel like a burden.
But if Jesus is really one of the most valuable things we can have, then following him isn't just something we have to do, it's something we want to do because it ultimately brings us joy.
As we gather for the Eucharist today, it's not just about checking off a weekly duty. We're here to receive a gift that's beyond anything we could ever imagine. Each time we gather at the altar, God generously places this incredible treasure right into our hands, reminding us of His love and presence in our lives.
May we never lose the joy of having found him.
~ Fr. Adam Patras, OSB