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17th
Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle A
St. Mary
Magdalen 9:00 and 11:00
July 30,
2017
Standards
for the Kingdom of God
By (Rev.
Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
King Midas
In the Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware
region, there are some auto repair shops called Midas Auto Repairs.
I guess they are pretty good places to get
repairs on your car, but what interests me this morning is the name Midas. That was the name of a king in Greek mythology
with a very interesting legend.
The story goes that one day a stranger visits
Midas and finds the king in his treasure room.
Surprisingly, Midas is sad that his wealth is so limited.
The visitor asks him, “King Midas, what would you like?”
And Midas replies, “I wish
that everything I touch would turn to gold.”
The next morning, the king awakens and
discovers that his wish has been granted.
At first, he is elated, but almost immediately, there are problems.
His bed has turned to gold and now it isn’t
very comfortable. His glasses turn to
gold and now he cannot see through them.
His biscuits and coffee turn to gold and now
he cannot eat or drink. Quickly Midas
realizes that his wish was a big mistake and that he cannot live on gold alone.
King Solomon
Well, this legend from Greek mythology is a
helpful way to appreciate today’s Scripture passages.
In the first reading, King Solomon, like King
Midas a very rich king, has the opportunity to ask God for whatever he
wants. But, instead of asking that
everything he touches turn to gold, Solomon asks for wisdom.
Yes, he wants to lead his people wisely. This wish of Solomon’s can help us understand
Jesus’ point in today’s two parables.
Both parables are about individuals who sell
everything they own to have enough money to buy that one thing that they really
want. Jesus explains that the field with
the treasure and the pearl both symbolize the Kingdom of Heaven.
This expression – the Kingdom of Heaven –
means the presence of God within us or our having a close relationship with
God. Jesus’ point is that we should make
this our number one priority.
Three Standards
If we look at King Solomon, we can see three
standards for knowing if we are really seeking the kingdom of heaven.
First, notice that Solomon’s request
for wisdom is not only for himself, but also for the good of others.
So, by way of application, we might ask does my desire
for say, a promotion at work include my hope to provide better for our family? Does my desire to become a physical therapist
express my interest in helping others to feel and live better lives?
Second, notice that Solomon’s request
for wisdom is really about developing
gifts he already has, that gifts of ruling, fundraising, and
building.
So, we might ask whether our passion for achieving
some goal like getting on the soccer team or for playing the piano in the
school chorale really express the good use of our God-given gifts? Or is our drive to get change careers, move
into a bigger home or get into a certain university really respond to what we
sense God is calling us to do?
Third, notice that Solomon’s request
for wisdom has more to do with who he
is, not what he has or owns.
So, while we may have our eyes on a new SUV or taking
a fancier vacation, are we clear that those things aren’t really what will make
me happy or have happy relationships?
Or as successful as we are in the world of financial
management, are we really, at a deeper level working at becoming more patient,
thoughtful, truthful, fair and compassionate?
Conclusion
The bottom line today is: Am I seeking the kingdom
of heaven?
With all the goals we have and with all the energy
we expend to achieve them, where does being closer to God fit in? That’s the
issue before us today.
And the readings, especially in the person of
Solomon, give us three standards for evaluating how well and where God fits
into our efforts.
1. Are the
things that we want not just for ourselves, but in some way also for the good of others?
2. Are our
passions, drives, and activities about developing
the gifts God has already given us?
3. And finally,
are we more invested in who we are as
a person, not what we have?
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