Preached on Sunday, July 30, 2017

 With just a little reflection, I believe all of us could review our lives at a high level and name the things that were very important to us over the years.

If we needed any help with this, we might look through our attics to see the awards,

the trophies, the pictures, the sporting equipment, the toys, the tools ...

and the multitude of other things that used to be important to us.

Some of the things that I was especially interested in through the years include:

My early love for building and launching Estes model rockets ...

that transitioned into a love for building model cars and then racing slot cars ...

which turned into a knack for turning wrenches on real cars, doing tune-ups and repairs ... and moving on to building and racing high-performance cars ... which

culminated in my acquiring the 1978 Corvette Pace Car that I drove in shows and parades for years.

Some of the activities I’ve been especially interested in through the years include:

My early love for playing all seasonal sports transitioned into success in competitive swimming. As a young adult I got swept up in all types of Dancing ... Disco, Country and Ballroom and was involved in giving lessons and competing.

That transitioned into a dedicated involvement in weight-lifting and exercise.

I’m sure that all of you can do the same thing ... just think back and remember

the things & activities that used to be so exciting and so important to you.

And you’ll recognize that many of them are just memories.

Because, many of the things that were so important to you back when ...

are no longer so important ...

And ... many of the things you used to do back in the day ...

you don’t do any longer.

What happened?

We’ve moved on … to doing other things that are more important to us now. 

Here’s an example,

What’s the most popular topic when a group of single guys get together?    Girls!

And what’s the most popular topic when a group of single girls get together? Guys!

If only I had a boyfriend. If only I had a girlfriend. I’d be so happy!

Oh everything would be great. I just couldn’t ask for more!

And then what often happens when a guy gets the girl of his choice

and the girl gets the man of her dreams.

Over time, other things become more important!

Soon their main concern might be the kids, or the house.

Then it’s their jobs or their careers that’s more important. 

Or, perhaps it’s their desire for things such as cars or clothes ...

or hunting or fishing or sports or TV or games or shopping  ...

and sadly there are many bad things that take our time and interest ...

like drinking or drugging or pornography or another man or woman.

How could that be?

Having a husband or wife was supposed to be the greatest prize!

And now it’s not!

Something else is now at the top of the list!

There are so many prizes around us to go after that we humans are never satisfied. The grass always appears greener somewhere else ...

and so off we go searching for more satisfaction.

It would be good to ask ourselves, “What is the greatest prize I could ever obtain?”

And while there are many that we can see ...

there are similarly many that we cannot see ...

like Jesus ... Heaven ... and Eternal Life!

Are they good prizes?    Most assuredly they are!

And any person who believes in the plan and the promise of God ...

would be able to answer this question without hesitation ...

saying rightly that the greatest prize in the whole wide world would be

to have ... Eternal Life ... with Jesus ... in Heaven!

That would mean life without pain or suffering.

That would mean life full of joy and happiness.

That would mean life without end.

Does that sound like a prize worth having?

Do you see Heaven as a prize, as a goal worth striving for?

Is Heaven even on your list of prizes and goals that you want to attain?

All of us have our lists of personal goals … of the things we want:

• I want to graduate from college. I want to land a good job.
• I want to make a certain amount of
• I want to find a husband or a wife; I want to have a family.
• I want a beautiful home or a new car or a bass

That’s how we grow. We establish goals and then we go after our goals.

Well regardless of what you have on your list of goals ...

if getting to Heaven isn’t right there at the top of your list ...

then you’re making a big mistake.

Because you see, here’s the deal ...

the only thing that can ever satisfy you forever ... is God!

We human beings have insatiable thirsts

Which can only be satisfied by an eternal source

And the only eternal source ... is God.

God is eternal and when we enter into Him in Heaven we go on to live eternally.

Everything else on your list of goals … is transitory.

Spouses die.  Homes deteriorate.  Careers end. Nothing here on earth lasts forever.

The Kingdom of Heaven ...  is the only lasting treasure.

In our Gospel today, Jesus delivers two short parables about people finding a treasure. In both instances, locating the treasure was so profound to them that they went and did whatever it took to acquire that treasure.

• One sold everything and bought the field where the treasure was buried.
• Another sold everything and bought a Pearl of great price.

What is the treasure that lays hidden?

The treasure hidden from the world is Jesus Christ.

What is the Pearl of great price?

Having a loving relationship with Jesus ... now and forever.

Anyone who seeks the ultimate prize, will be willing to give up everything

so that they can have for themselves … this Pearl of great price.

Throughout our lives, we can surround ourselves with many nice things ...

which in and of themselves may be good.

But Our Lord is telling us that we need to keep our eye on the one thing

that has the ability to satisfy us, not just for 1 year or 10 years, but for-ever.

 That’s the treasure we need to hold onto it at all cost. 

On the day of our Baptism, Jesus’ Holy Spirit took up residence in our soul and we began a personal relationship with Him.

This momentous event provided us with the invitation to Heaven …

that we accept if we abide in Jesus till the end of our earthly life.

Would you like to find buried treasure? You already have it & you’re rich indeed!

Ask yourself, what would you trade for Everlasting Life?

Is there anything you would trade for spending eternity with God who is Love?

Of course not!     Then why do we often handle our treasure so casually?

Why do we allow ourselves to be distracted into spending most of our time on other things? Things like sports, and cars, and computers, and homes and money … that a hundred years from now, will all be gone!

While many of our earthly possessions are good to a degree, none of them can compare with the one that lasts forever. So the question is really one of priorities.

Do we recognize Jesus and His invitation to Heaven, as our greatest possession?

If not, then we need to pray like Solomon and beg God for the gift of wisdom.

With wisdom, we will come to recognize the awesome treasure that we’ve already been given, a family relationship with Jesus ... and His invitation to Heaven.

Now if you already understand that Jesus alone is the treasure of all treasures,

Then the question is,

“Do my actions reflect the passing nature of what’s before my eyes and

the eternal nature of what is hidden?”

As I shared, there was a period in my life where dancing was everything to me.

I was immersed in practicing and competition and it was all that I thought about.

I remember telling people, “It would take the undertaker 3 days to wipe the smile off my face if I was to die dancing!” I loved it so much.

But you know what, I don’t dance any more.

Dancing is one of those things that passes away.

It’s just one of many things that have passed away?

 I don’t build rockets or model cars anymore.

 I don’t race in a swimming pool or on a dragstrip anymore.

Everything but God passes away. Everything but God comes to an end.

So, God is the treasure to acquire at all cost. That’s the treasure to hold onto.

A great saint once said,

“The wise man lets go of what he can never keep …

to hold on to what he can never lose!”

As baptized Christians, we have the Holy Spirit of Jesus in our souls.

It is a hidden treasure … but a priceless one. 

We need to recognize the treasure we have right now and hold onto it!

It comes with the invitation to Heaven.

If we choose to maintain a loving relationship with Jesus …

by keeping His commands and walking in His ways ...

we will merit to enter His Kingdom in Heaven and possess eternal life …

a treasure that we’ll never lose.

So, put your relationship with Jesus at the top of your list.

He is the treasure of all treasures.

He is “the Pearl ... of great price.”