Pope Francis says that we are called to become “restless and healthy seekers of the Kingdom of Heaven”, reflecting on the parables of the treasure hidden in the field and the pearl of great value during the Sunday Angelus.
By Christopher Wells
In the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis reflected on two of the parables told by Jesus in the Gospel of the day: that of the treasure hidden in the field and that of the pearl of great value.
In both parables, those who find the “precious” items, what matters most to them, sell everything they have to get them. “With these two similes,” said Pope Francis, “Jesus proposes to involve us in the construction of the Kingdom of Heaven, presenting one of its essential characteristics: those who are fully committed to the Kingdom are those who are willing to bet everything. “
Pope Francis said that the “decisive and radical” decision to give up everything to seek even more precious treasures shows that “the building of the Kingdom requires not only the grace of God, but also the active will of the human person.”
Healthily Restless Seekers
“We are called to assume the attitude of these figures of the Gospel,” continued Pope Francis, “so that we too can become seekers of the Kingdom of Heaven with healthy concern.” As in the parables, this comes at a cost: we must give up “worldly guarantees,” such as “greed for possessions, a thirst for profit and power, and thinking only of ourselves,” which can hinder our search.
Too often, the Pope said, people lead “mediocre and boring lives, because they are not looking for a real treasure.” Seeking the Kingdom of Heaven, on the other hand, is “the complete opposite of a boring life: it is a treasure that renews life every day and leads to broader horizons.” Kingdom seekers “have a creative and inquiring heart” that leads them to “new paths” to love God, our neighbor, and ourselves.
The adventure of holiness
“Jesus, who is the hidden treasure and the pearl of great value, can only inspire joy, all the joy in the world,” said Pope Francis: “the joy of discovering meaning in life, the joy of committing oneself to adventure of holiness “.
Pope Francis concluded his reflection with prayer so that the Blessed Virgin Mary “can help us search for the treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven every day, so that the love that God has given us through Jesus is manifested in our words and acts. “
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