[media presentation below] GospelThink Sunday, July 30, Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time MATTHEW 13:44-52 The Kingdom that I want is so important that you must give up everything to purchase it. Prayerthoughts a. The Kingdom of heaven is God’s Kingdom on earth. What can I do better to show that I am a member of that Kingdom? (This is the task of the meditation.) b. What are the treasures in my life right now? c. In this story, the person searching comes upon the treasure unexpectedly. In my life so far, what “treasure” has come into my life unexpectedly?   d. “Sells all that he has” is central to Jesus’ stories here. Obviously, it cannot be taken literally because I need things to live. But what things in my life should I give up to show my dedication to the Lord better? e. The finding of the pearls is done after a diligent search. Do I show in my life that I am truly searching for the Lord’s presence? f. The Lord again calls our attention to the final times. Do I think that I am preparing well for my death? What can I do better? g. My prayerthoughts… Today I carry out letter a. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  CHOOSING AN UNDERSTANDING HEART            There is a parable told about six human beings who happened to be together one time in a place that was bitterly cold, so cold that if they did not produce some type of fire, they would freeze to death. There was a fire, but it was dying out, and desperately in need of some wood. Each of the six possessed a piece of wood that could easily keep the fire going.            One woman held hers back because she saw that of the six, one of them was black, and she felt that he was less than she was, and why should she give her piece of wood for him.           One man held his back because he discovered that one of the six was not a believer in Jesus, and therefore he could not associate with him.           A third one was poor, and finding out that one of them was rich, he held his wood back and thought: “Why should my log be used to aid the idle rich; let them use their wood; they can afford it.”           The rich man kept his piece of wood because he did not want his money and property to go to people like the poor who would just squander it away.           The black man refused to give his wood to the fire because he saw a chance to get back at all the white people that hated him.           And the last person held his piece of wood back because he was convinced that the way people should live in life is to give only to those who gave to others.           They all possessed the means to permit themselves from freezing to death: all possessed a piece of wood.           And no one gave.                      The conclusion of the parable is:                                “Six logs held tight in death’s still hands                                Was proof of human sin.                                They didn’t die from the cold without;                                They died from the cold within.”           Jesus tells us in the Gospel in two simple stories that in order to attain true Christianity, that is, what might be called the feelings of peace and love and that life is worth living, we have to give up some things:           [The person who wants the field and the pearl] sells all that he has. That is, in order to attain the reality of being a true follower of Jesus, the person must first make some sacrifices. Immediately, we have the problem—we tend to be attached to things, material and otherwise.           We do not like making that personal sacrifice. We do not want to give up our riches or material goods. And most of all, we do not want to give up our personal preferences, our own way of thinking, our reasoning, the way we judge things and others and how people act, the way we feel about things, our particular points of view. To give up these things or to take the time to call ourselves to think differently about them is difficult to do. The Christian must be able to give up anything that holds him/her back, that is, give up anything that will keep us away from the feelings of hope and love and that life is worth living.            And from a positive point of view, what should we choose in order to bring about those things? What does it mean to “buy the field or purchase the pearl.” Solomon gives a pretty good description of it in the first reading (1 Kings 3:5, 7-12): God would have given him anything, but he asked for an “understanding heart.” He asked for the ability to achieve the virtues of what we have come to call Christianity. That is what an “understanding heart” is all about: it means choosing the total Christian message, and not just part of it.            Our thought today is extremely logical: in order to follow him, Jesus says that we must give up some things and buy into what he taught completely. What he taught was the thought of an “understanding heart.” If we really would do that, we would live a good life because we would understand how to give to another. And we would not die from the cold within. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “Cheap Thrills” — Sia I GOT ALL I NEED The Gospel LUKE 12:31-34 Jesus said: “Seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides. Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”

Gospelthink: I tell you to seek the Kingdom that our God gives us. Am I following the laws of the Kingdom in my life?

“Come on, turn the radio on. It’s Friday night and I won’t be long. Gotta do my hair, I put my make-up on. I won’t be long till I hit the dance floor. I got all I need. No, I ain’t got no cash. I don’t need dollar bills to have fun tonight. I love cheap thrills. I don’t need no money as long as I keep dancing.”

Using Jesus’ words, “Sell your belongings and give alms,” together with Sia’s words, “I got all I need,” one produces a pattern for a true Christian. Jesus is exhorting his followers to stay away from too many material things and give them to those in need; Sia is giving the reason to give them up, namely, because we have all we need to have a happy life. Granted, they are speaking of different things altogether, but the overall message is a good one. Even something as enjoyable as dancing which can be done without too much money, is part of a simple formula for happiness. Material wealth does not play a major role in dancing. As we think of what is truly important in life, material goods and money should play a minor part; our real treasure must lie in the realm of treasure in heaven, that is, a good life. At the same time, celebrating a good life must include a time to relax, and often dancing can supply such a moment. Dancing, the subject of Sia’s song “Cheap Thrills,” usually has nothing to do with money, but it is a means of enjoying life. Spiritual happiness interestingly enough has nothing to do with money either. In fact, Jesus knew that too much money could easily block the path to the real treasure that we should be working toward, namely eternal life. Consequently, he tells his followers not to worry about material goods as they seek their treasure–“Sell your belongings.” He also gave what might be called the essence of the spiritual life–namely to “give” to others. If one adopts the attitude of “having all we need” and therefore giving away the things that are “more than we need,” we are well on our way to the true treasure in life.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, Your Son knew that too many belongings were not good for us, and so he told us to give them away and help those in need. Help us spend our time here on earth always seeking the real treasure of eternal life. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: We do not need money to enjoy life.   DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us to “seek the kingdom.” What is the meaning of his directive? 2. Why is “money” such an important part of life? 3. In your opinion, do people in general seek too much money? Yes or no and why? 4. Why is “dancing” an important part of having fun? 5. Jesus obviously does not mean that we should give away all of our belongings. To live a happy life, what are the things that we really need? 6. In your opinion, what are the principal parts of the treasure that Jesus is referring to? 7. In general, why does “too much money” block the pathway to eternal life? 8. Why is “giving to others” so important as one seeks the spiritual life? 9. What does the song “Cheap Thrills” teach young people?