The pearl of Great price!
Homily preached July 30, 2023
by Monsignor Michael Deering

During the years I lived up in Birmingham I had a friend named Mike. And each and every year without fail, he’d become passionately interested in something new. 

I can remember years ago when he got swept up with stereo equipment.

He read all the reviews, configured a powerful system in his home and

was in his glory showing off his high-tech system to all his friends.

The following year his #1 interest was photography ...

and after he studied all the brands, he outfitted himself with the best of equipment

and delighted in any and all opportunities to take pictures.

And his thirst for new things continued. Next he became an aficionado in surround-sound home entertainment systems ... and then luxury cars ... and then bow & arrow hunting. The list of his interests went on and on. He’d get immersed in Computer Games ... and shooting Pool and many other things ...

and each new interest filled him with great excitement and satisfaction.

But time and time again, Mike would lose interest in one thing and go after something else.

Does that ever happen to you? Think back to the things you used to do or the items you used to use ... but now they don’t bring that you enjoyment any more. We too move on and continue to look for something more rewarding ...  more satisfying.

For 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!

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

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

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

  and the girl gets the man of her dreams.

Sadly over time, their interest shifts to other things.

And their main concern might soon become 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 Video games or Internet or shopping  ...

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

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 money.
• 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 boat.

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 The 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 treasure, must be willing to give up other things

so that they can have it for themselves.

What do you think the Lord is talking about when He refers to the treasure of one’s life? I don’t think He’s referring to stereo systems or cars or cameras or hunting equipment.

He’s talking about discovering the Good News that we are invited to

the Heavenly Banquet where we can have Eternal life with Him.

His promise of the Kingdom of Heaven is the “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 ... at all cost. 

    And you know what?

All of us are right now carrying a great treasure ... but unfortunately ...

    few of us are really aware of it.

What if I told you that this morning, unbeknownst to you, I put $1,000 in your wallets and your purses?      You’d probably say, “No way!”   

But then what if you looked and sure enough there it was ... $1,000 in your pocket?

You’d be so surprised because you didn’t know you were carrying this treasure in your wallet or purse. And you’d readily admit that if you knew of the treasure that you carried ... you would have acted differently on your way to Church today.

Well, the fact is you did come to Church today with a treasure. And it was worth way more than $1,000, but you didn’t carry it in your wallet or purse. Rather you carried it in your heart and soul. You carried your Birthright to Everlasting Life!

Do you realize that? You see, the day you were baptized, you became part of God’s family and you received a Birthright... to live forever with God in Heaven ...

   if you choose to do so.

Yes, as baptized Catholic Christians you each have the birthright to Heaven.

Oh, please recognize the treasure that you have ... you are rich indeed!

You know, speaking of discovering treasures, there’s a good number of people discovering, day by day, that the fullness of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth ...

is to be found in the one Church that Jesus established...the Holy Catholic Church.

These people are called Converts.

Listen to the Prayer List of the Great Organization “The Coming Home Network”

that for years has helped to guide Protestant Ministers home to the Catholic Church.

**************************************************

In addition to the many Protestant Ministers coming into the Catholic Church ... there are many Protestant Lay people coming in too.

In the 7 years that I’ve been here, 100 non-Catholic Adults have become Catholic!

They’re here among you at Holy Spirit.   

Converts to the Catholic Church possess a great zeal for what they have found. After spending time in prayer and study ...

they have discovered many truths of the Catholic Church and ...

they enthusiastically embrace their new ability to receive the Sacraments.

They’re excited with their treasure, while many who have been Catholic from birth often times forget ... or never really learned

the treasure they have of God’s promise of Eternal Life.

Converts are indeed a breath of fresh air to the Church. They are a modern day example of how people act when they finally find the Pearl of Great Price. They make time in their schedules to practice their faith, to grow their faith and to share their faith. We can all learn from them and catch fire from their zeal.

Realize too, that many converts ... have paid a hefty price to obtain ...

the Pearl of Great Price!

   ****** Examples of Ian and others now looking for jobs ... and friends! *******

They are great models to us of how to cherish what we already have.

Those of us born into the Catholic faith are in possession of a fantastic treasure. And we need to recognize it as such.

All you need to do is 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 sometimes handle this treasure so casually?

Why do we allow ourselves to be distracted into spending time on other things? Things like stereos, and cars, and computer games, and cameras and money and homes 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 gift that lasts forever. So the question is really one of priorities.

Do you recognize God’s invitation to you to be with Him in Heaven, as our greatest possession?

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

With wisdom, you will come to recognize the awesome gift that you’ve already been given, your Baptismal birthright to Heaven.

You need to treasure it, practice it and protect it. 

It is the only treasure that will bring you everlasting happiness.

It is ... “the Pearl of great price.”