B(Irth) - C(Hoice) - D(Eath) (Seventeenth Sunday In Ordinary Time)

Reflection

B(irth) - C(hoice) - D(eath)

Matthew 13:44-52, 1 Kings 3:5-9, 1 Kings 3:10-12, Romans 8:28-30, John 3:16, Joshua 24:15, Matthew 6:33.

Dear sisters and brothers,

We all know the English alphabets A to Z.

Do you know what comes between B & D?

It is C.

Yes, we know that between B and D, we have C.

Applying this concept to our life, we can say that from ‘birth’ to ‘death’, we make many ‘choices’.

These choices, in our lives, are made with certain needs and wants.

Our choice can bring success or failure.

Our choice can bring happiness or sadness.

Our choice can make us or break us.

Our choice can bring peace or war.

Our choice can make us to win or lose.

Choice is the important thing in all our lives.

Choice is not made suddenly.

Choice is not made in a moment.

There is a process in choosing something or someone.

Choice has no choice.

We have to make choices in our lives to make our life journey more fruitful and meaningful as King Solomon did (1 Kings 3:5-9):

“The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.

God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”

Solomon answered:

“O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king

to succeed my father David;

but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.

I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,

a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.

Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart

to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.

For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”

The LORD was pleased with Solomon’s choice.

At the same time, we have priorities in our lives.

In the process of choosing something or someone, we prioritise what is important and what is not important depending on our priorities of life.

Priority has to clarify and purify the choice that we make.

Jesus called us like he called his disciples during his earthly life.

And we live his teachings: love and forgiveness as we read:

“As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

It is the grace of God that which brought me to Jesus as his disciple (1 Kings 3:10-12):

“The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.

So God said to him:

“Because you have asked for this—

not for a long life for yourself,

nor for riches,

nor for the life of your enemies,

but for understanding so that you may know what is right—

I do as you requested.

I give you a heart so wise and understanding

that there has never been anyone like you up to now,

and after you there will come no one to equal you.”

God grants when we make the right choice in our lives for his glory and for his kingdom.

I repeat again not for my self-glory and not for my kingdom.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, my first priority is to seek the Kingdom of God/heaven:

“But seek first the kingdom [of God]

and his righteousness,

and all these things will be given you besides” (Matthew 6:33).

With this initial introduction, let us listen to the text from the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 13:44-52), where Jesus speaks to his disciples about the Kingdom of Heaven:

Jesus said to 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.”

In the text, we read that Jesus instructs his disciples about the Kingdom of Heaven/God.

Jesus instructs his disciples.

It is not the random crowd.

Jesus focuses on the disciples.

He has chosen those disciples for the greater glory of God.