Reflection for July 26 Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Matthew 13:44-52

Gospel: Matthew 13:44-52

(Jesus told 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. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. 

What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

“Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”

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Reflection:

The story is told of a woman who had six children by six different men. She was on the verge of giving up on life because her family had disowned her due to her wayward lifestyle.

She said to herself, "I feel so alone because nobody trusts or loves me anymore. But I do not blame anyone except myself."

As she wandered aimlessly, she came upon a sign that read: "If you feel that nobody wants you anymore, come to us. We will take care of you." She decided to go, only to discover that it was a shelter for unwanted mothers run by nuns. To make a long story short, the nuns welcomed and cared for her unconditionally. Through their love, compassion, and acceptance, she encountered the unconditional love of Jesus.

Through Jesus and the loving care of the nuns, she found restoration, hope, and healing. Filled with gratitude, she said to them, "You took care of me when nobody else did. You showed me the unconditional love of Jesus when no one else cared enough to share it with me. Through you, I discovered the greatest treasure in this world—Jesus."

Each one of us has a unique purpose and mission in this world. At the heart of that mission is introducing others to the greatest treasure anyone could ever find, yet one that so many still fail to discover. That greatest treasure is Jesus. We are therefore called to know Him more deeply, love Him more faithfully, and share Him more generously so that others, too, may encounter Him through us.

How can others discover Jesus through us? We can become instruments of His love by offering hope to those who are discouraged, extending a listening ear instead of condemnation, choosing forgiveness instead of resentment, and sowing love instead of hatred, judgment, or arrogance. Sometimes, the simplest acts of kindness, compassion, and acceptance become the very channels through which someone encounters Christ.

Every person we meet may be carrying hidden wounds, silent struggles, or burdens that only God fully knows. Like the nuns in this story, we may never realize how a gentle word, a compassionate heart, or a helping hand can become God's answer to someone's desperate prayer. When we allow the love of Christ to flow through us, we become living witnesses of His mercy and instruments of His healing grace.

May we never underestimate the power of reflecting the love of Jesus in our daily lives. The world does not merely need more opinions or judgments—it longs to encounter the compassionate heart of Christ. And often, He chooses to reveal that heart through ordinary people like us.

Today, let us ask ourselves: When people encounter us, do they discover our opinions and judgments—or do they encounter the love, mercy, and hope of Jesus? Whose life might God be inviting us to touch today so that, through us, they may discover the greatest treasure of all—Christ Himself.— Marino J. Dasmarinas