July 25, 2011: The Pearl of Great Price
~ by Father Ron Camarda
The Gospel this past Sunday goes like this:
Jesus shared a parable: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, in which a person finds and then hides again. And out of joy, he/she goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.”
Beloved, Jesus found the most amazing and fantabulous treasure when he lived in this world. He hid the treasure in a very safe place from womb to tomb. And out of joy, he went and sold everything he had, even though he owned everything in the World. He gave up everything to redeem this treasure. He even gave away his Mother and his very dignity and life. Many were invited to his crucifixion, but only his mother, a few women, and one man by the name of John bothered to come to the Cross. He did all of this because Jesus saw what God sees in you and me. Jesus believed that the love in one human being was worth his very life and mother.
All one needs to enter into the
Kingdom of Heaven
which is the source and light of what we see,
Is to love.
Say to Jesus when you are on the cross beside him:
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
Wait.
Listen.
His belabored words are the true Treasure found:
“Today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
I invite you to memorize just one of the seven last statements that Jesus said on the cross:
“Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”
“Today you will be with me in Paradise.”
“Woman, behold your son. Son, your mother.
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?!”
“I thirst.”
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
“It is finished.”
Pray Jesus’ words every day for a week.
Then share them with someone whom Jesus points out to you.
You might just find the treasure that Jesus gave all away for, even his mother, to obtain.
Have a blessed week!
Father Ron Moses +
An Interview With God
Father Ron Camarda is a retired Naval Chaplain and author of “Tear in the Desert,” a powerful book containing his memoirs of life and death at the Battle for Fallujah. Father Ron appears on EWTN and recently won the Silver Medal from the Military Writers Society of America.
