Treasure of Great Worth
Jul. 31: Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest
Ignatius of Loyola was an avid reader.1 Like a lot of young men, he enjoyed stories of chivalry and romance. In 1521, he was injured in a battle, and during his recovery, he had a lot of time to read.
He found a book of saints, and discovered that these stories gave him a sense of peace and inspiration that the adventure books did not.
Now that he's a saint, Ignatius of Loyola can inspire us, as well. It's worth discerning whether the entertainment we consume is enlarging or constricting our souls.
Reading 1
Jer 15:10, 16-21
Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth! a man of strife and contention to all the land! I neither borrow nor lend, yet all curse me. When I found your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart, Because I bore your name, O LORD, God of hosts. I did not sit celebrating in the circle of merrymakers; Under the weight of your hand I sat alone because you filled me with indignation. Why is my pain continuous, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook, whose waters do not abide!
Thus the LORD answered me: If you repent, so that I restore you, in my presence you shall stand; If you bring forth the precious without the vile, you shall be my mouthpiece. Then it shall be they who turn to you, and you shall not turn to them; And I will make you toward this people a solid wall of brass. Though they fight against you, they shall not prevail, For I am with you, to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD. I will free you from the hand of the wicked, and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.
Jeremiah, the prophet who foresaw the Babylonian exile, was seemingly prone to mood swings. He complains that he was even born, then he finds happiness in God's word, then indignantly questions why everyone else is having fun while he bears the weight of God's commands alone.
God answers not by denying any of Jeremiah's points, but simply replying that it's temporary. God will save him, and Israel, eventually.
Fr. Casey made an interesting video on this point. If we feel frustrated with God, we shouldn't try to hide it. God knows; even more, He understands.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18
R. (17d) God is my refuge on the day of distress.
Rescue me from my enemies, O my God;
from my adversaries defend me.
Rescue me from evildoers;
from bloodthirsty men save me.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
mighty men come together against me,
Not for any offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! for you I watch;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
As for my God, may his mercy go before me;
may he show me the fall of my foes.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
But I will sing of your strength
and revel at dawn in your mercy;
You have been my stronghold,
my refuge in the day of distress.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! your praise will I sing;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
my merciful God!
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
There is nothing wrong with asking God for help. It's right to acknowledge we can't save ourselves, that we need him. God will come to our aid, even if it's at a time and in a manner not of our choosing.
Alleluia
Jn 15:15b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I call you my friends, says the Lord,
for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In the Old Testament, even great heroes like Moses, Joshua, and David were called “servants” or “slaves of Yahweh.”2 Only Abraham was called a “friend of God.”3
It’s pretty notable that Jesus calls us friends, now.
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."
In uncertain times, like when Israel was occupied by Rome, people really did bury their wealth. And if they were arrested or killed by the authorities, their treasure would remain buried until someone stumbled across it.
That's an interesting historical factoid, but it's not the point that Jesus is making. We're not the pirate hiding doubloons; we're the person finding the treasure chest. When we learn about the Good News, what should we do? Set everything aside to obtain it, because it's worth far more than anything we already possess.
In 16th century Spain, literacy wasn't unheard of, but it wasn't overwhelmingly common; estimates vary from 10%-50% of the male population.
Is 41:8; 2 Chr 20:7; cf. Jas 2:23