Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection for - Sunday, August 2, 2026

For the past several weeks, we have been reading the 13^th Chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, in which Matthew records the words of Jesus as He tells us about the Kingdom of Heaven and how we might get there.  Jesus speaks to us about four critical aspects of what it takes to follow Him to the Kingdom. 

First, we must be interested in seeking Him.  We must desire to look beyond ourselves for a relationship with Jesus.  If we are a hard-packed path, we are impervious to any outside influence and we are not open to a relationship with Jesus.  Contrast that with the merchant seeking a fine pearl.  He devoted himself to searching diligently for just the right pearl.  We must seek Jesus with that same devotion.

Next, we must recognize Jesus when we find Him.  We must be able to spot a treasure in a field or a pearl of great value.  We must be able to differentiate between wheat and weeds, to distinguish “good fish” from “bad fish.” The religious leaders in 1^st Century Jerusalem saw Jesus right in front of them, but they did not recognize Him as the Messiah. We must be able to see true value in Jesus, just as the merchant was able to recognize the value of the pearl.

Third, we must be receptive to hearing His message and focusing on that message.  In the parable of the sower, we hear about seed being scattered among rocks, on soil with thorns, and on fertile ground.  Rocks and thorns interfere with the healthy growth of a plant.  In our faith life, they would be the distractions that prevent us from hearing and acting upon the Word of God.  We pray that we will be fertile ground.

Finally, we must joyfully surrender to and sacrifice for Jesus and for His message.  We must be willing to “sell all that we have” to obtain the great gift of Jesus.  We have to believe that Jesus is more valuable than anything in this world.  Therefore, we must never let anyone or anything come between us and Jesus.  We must protect our tiny, mustard seed amount of faith to grow into a consuming, passionate, overwhelming faith, that grows, deepens, and guides us every moment of our lives.

Fr. Mike