First reading Exodus 34:29-35
Moses passes on to the people the orders given by the Lord
When Moses came down from the mountain of Sinai – as he came down from the mountain, Moses had the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands – he did not know that the skin on his face was radiant after speaking with the Lord. And when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, the skin on his face shone so much that they would not venture near him. But Moses called to them, and Aaron with all the leaders of the community came back to him; and he spoke to them. Then all the sons of Israel came closer, and he passed on to them all the orders that the Lord had given him on the mountain of Sinai. And when Moses had finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. Whenever he went into the Lord’s presence to speak with him, Moses would remove the veil until he came out again. And when he came out, he would tell the sons of Israel what he had been ordered to pass on to them, and the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he returned to speak with the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm 98(99):5-7,9
You are holy, O Lord our God.
Exalt the Lord our God;
bow down before Zion, his footstool.
He the Lord is holy.
Among his priests were Aaron and Moses,
among those who invoked his name was Samuel.
They invoked the Lord and he answered.
To them he spoke in the pillar of cloud.
They did his will; they kept the law,
which he, the Lord, had given.
Exalt the Lord our God;
bow down before his holy mountain
for the Lord our God is holy.
Gospel Matthew 13:44-46
He sells everything he owns and buys the field
Jesus said to the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.’
________________________
To gain Christ
“…whatever were gains to me, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7- 8). The words of St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians reflect his passion to have Jesus as His only treasure. Like the man who found the hidden treasure in the field and the merchant who discovered the pearl with great value, St. Paul experienced true joy in having Christ in his life.
Everything else is nothing compared to knowing and loving Him. Is Jesus our greatest treasure, our priceless pearl? Is He above the worldly treasures that the world offers us, i.e. power, wealth, status and honour? Today, let us ask for the grace to detach ourselves from all that hinders us from placing Jesus at the centre of our lives.
Reflective question:
What is the treasure that I am seeking?
What is the treasure that I am seeking?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
