Wednesday July 28, 2021 - Seventeenth week of Ordinary Time - I call you my friends, says the Lord, for all that I have heard from my Father, I have made known to you - Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ Matthew 13, 44-46

The parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl were told by Jesus in a house, in the inner circle of his disciples, destined to be the first preachers of the Kingdom of Heaven. In these parables, Jesus wants to convey this to us: the Kingdom of Heaven is such a precious commodity and it brings true joy. We, the first preachers of this Kingdom, must acquire and keep it with perseverance and vigor. In this conquest, let us imitate the plowman and the merchant who had to give up everything they had in order to have this inestimable good.

In these parables we can learn a life lesson: the Kingdom of Heaven is invaluable. It is essential, more than the food of each day. This is why Jesus reminded us that we must seek him first. But it is not enough for us to contemplate its superiority and remain indifferent, we must choose it or not; look for all the means to find it even with guile to obtain it. If this precious good gives us joy, all that we have done to have it cannot be considered a sacrifice, but rather a gain.