The Value of the Kingdom of God

07-26-2026Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price are similar. The Parable of the Dragnet, however, is like last Sunday’s parable of the Weeds and the Wheat.

The first reading recalls King Solomon’s dream, when the Lord asked the young king what he wanted. Solomon’s answer reveals his character and what mattered most to him: a wise and understanding heart. He asked for this so that he could serve the Lord and the people of his kingdom well. This wisdom is the treasure of King Solomon’s heart, the hidden treasure, and the pearl of great price.

In the same vein, we are also asked what is most valuable to us: what is the priority of our heart? What do we really want in life, and what will give meaning to our lives? Solomon could have asked for long life, power, and riches beyond compare, but because he did not, the Lord honors him for not allowing his heart to desire such worthless things. Like Solomon, we too can ask the Lord for Wisdom. If we are honest and sincere in our request, the Lord will surely not fail us. Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door will be open to you. (Mt. 7:7) The Lord wants us also to find our hidden treasure and our pearl of great price.

The Gospel tells us that there is more to gaining the hidden treasure and the priceless pearl. We must look for it, sell everything, and buy the land where the hidden treasure is buried, or buy the pearl of great price. It is not that we can buy wisdom, but we must be willing to let go of everything for the sake of the Kingdom. We must be willing to do anything, give up everything, or be detached from everything and everyone to gain the pearl of great price. By giving up everything and everyone, we free our hearts to accept the Kingdom of God. In a sense, this means that God must come first in our lives, and His Kingdom must be our highest priority. Willingly and joyfully, we give up everything for His Kingdom, because it is worth more than anything we could ever sacrifice to gain it.

The parable of the dragnet brings to our attention two kinds of possessions: the “worthwhile” and the “worthless.” The Gospel explains that God is not concerned about the treasure we collect in our dragnets throughout our lives, but rather about what He will collect at the end of time. He is telling us that there will be a final reckoning. He will collect the worthy and worthwhile and abandon the worthless. He wants to fill us with His treasures, with His abundance, but this depends on whether we accept His gift and give Him a space for it in our hearts by emptying ourselves of the worthless, useless things in our lives. If you find your delight in the Lord, He will grant you your heart’s desire. (Ps. 37:4)

When we choose the treasures of the Kingdom, we choose what God has prepared for those who love Him, to fill our hearts with endless joy in His Kingdom. The second reading teaches us that, as St. Paul says, those who love Him, our God, are “making all things work together for the good.” The letter to the Romans reveals God’s plan for those who are predestined, called, and justified. “Those He predestined He likewise called; those He called He also justified; and those He justi- fied He in turn glorified” (Rom. 8:20). To be “glorified” means to find nothing and no one greater than God, and more precious than His Kingdom.