Reflection on the Readings of the 17th Sunday in ordinary Time Year A

By Francois Noah sx

The 17th Sunday of ordinary time, “year” A, brings to mind the theme of Wisdom. In every culture are given high esteem all those endowed with wisdom, which differs from intelligence. This Sunday challenges us with specific readings regarding the theme. The first reading is the hallmark of the Wisdom expressed by Solomon. What is wisdom? Where and how do we find it? How to acquire wisdom and how and for which purpose can we use it? All these questions should be kept in mind as we continue the meditation. The opportunity is presented to Solomon to request from God something he would like to receive from him. Of all the possibilities given him, he asked God for wisdom in order to guide the people under his authority. The narrator of the book of the Kings says rightly that God was pleased with Solomon's request. According to this text, wisdom is the most important and the first value needed by leaders and all those who have the responsibility to guide others. Other values are of support. In Today's context where our survival depends on other people, the need for wisdom becomes urgent. This creates relationships, reconciles people, nourishes and heals. The gospel presents three parables which highlight two main ideas: the kingdom of heaven is of such capital interest that the one who discovers it needs to sell every other thing in order to acquire it, on one side. There are elements to keep in mind: one, the treasure that is the kingdom of God can be found. Therefore, not everyone will find it. The one who looks for it can find it. The next step is to take it as a priority or as the most important element. One of the questions we may ask ourselves today is, what is filling my heart now as the most satisfying thing? When I look at the scale of value I have established, what is for me the thing I can give my life for? The gospel tells us that the man who discovered that treasure went to hide it first, then he sold all his other properties in order to acquire the whole field. On the other side that same kingdom of God in the third parable is viewed at the end as the final judgment. In this parable, Jesus presents the kingdom of God in terms of the last judgment, where everyone will receive the sentence according to his behaviour or the mode in which he used the wisdom received. Living in a context of the Corona Virus where all urgency is in us in terms of surviving, the measures put into place challenge our cultural and social habits concerning our relationship with one another. How can we find the treasure, that is, the kingdom of God? According to St. Paul writing to the Romans 14; 17: “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” A Wise man and disciple according to Jesus is a “householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old”. We ask the Lord to provide for us that same wisdom of Solomon in order to deal with our present difficulties wisely and so continue on our journey.