SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
July 26, 2020

“All things work for good for those who love God.” This statement taken from Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans give us a theme for this week. All things work for good for those who seek to do God’s will, as we see in the story of King Solomon in the first reading. We may experience rough starts, occasional disappointment and setbacks, eventually it will all come together, and God always comes through for those who put their trust in Him. This realization that our greatest fulfillment can only be found in a relationship with God explains why the merchant in today’s Gospel would sell everything he has in exchange for the kingdom of God. To sell everything means to forsake all attachments, all pleasures, every obstacle or any distraction that may come in the way of our eternal destiny with God. Elsewhere in the Gospels, Jesus would remind us to separate ourselves from anything that is capable of leading us to sin for it would be better to have a finger cut off than have the whole body thrown into hell. Saint Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, was so focused on this immense treasure and the abiding glory of the kingdom of God that he saw everything else as worthless (Phil 3:8-10). To seek and to find Him is our greatest and most meaningful task, for he who finds Him finds joy. Like Solomon in today’s first reading, may we ask God for the wisdom and the grace to seek what is right and to do that which is right. To seek to do good at all times; for in doing so lies our salvation and our glory, Amen.