SOLEMNITY ST IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA, PRIEST AND FOUNDER OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2024

MASS READING:

Gospel

Mt 13:44-46

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."

REFLECTION

The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field

For people who are always looking for happiness, once they meet Jesus, their lives are changed. You notice in their attitude, their way of thinking and speaking, an increase in their virtues, an increase in wisdom. Sometimes when a treasure is found, one might not know that that person is the answer to your prayers. And sometimes, it is too late in their lives when they realize that they have discarded as trash the one thing that they had been searching for. They just did not recognize the prize right in front of them

Martha did not stop and take the time to realize that the person she was working so hard to please and feed was sitting right in front of her, speaking. She did not have time to listen to Him. Scarlett O'Hara was looking for love in Ashley Wilkes and basically treated all her husbands, including Rhett Butler with contempt. By the time she realized what a treasure he was, it was too late.

St Ignatius Loyola was so busy fighting wars that he did not know much about God. And as God would have it, where St Ignatius convalesced from a cannonball war injury, there were two books that were available for him to read. One was about Jesus, the other was about the saints who loved Jesus. Since then he became a different person, awakened to a spiritual life and service to God. He knew his vocation was to devote his life to God. Jesus was his treasure and fortunately for him, St Ignatius recognized Him. He became a changed person, giving up all to fully embrace the Lord.

In 1540 St Ignatius with a group of ten men founded the Society of Jesus or the Jesuits. He wrote the Spiritual Exercises, a step by step retreat that can be followed by anyone. These were ways of thinking and praying. We probably do the exercises without knowing it. They were a means to help us hear God such as at the end of the day asking ourselves what went well, where did we see God, how was our prayer life.

A treasure was found by St Ignatius hidden in the library and had he not been injured, he would have gone on to fight wars. He shared his treasure and brought many people to God.

Have we uncovered any hidden treasures? Have we found the Cross?

God Bless You