Wednesday 27 July 2022

Today is Wednesday the 27th July, in the 17th week of Ordinary Time.

The Community of Taizé sing “the Kingdom of God is justice and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Come, Lord, and open in us the gates of your kingdom.”

Today’s reading is from the gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 13:44-46

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

What do you most treasure? What brings you deepest joy? . . . Share this with Jesus . . .

Taking these images of the kingdom of heaven literally helps us notice something interesting. Sometimes the kingdom is something we seek and we find; and sometimes it’s something that seeks and finds us. . . .

We can be surprised by joy and there is something of the Kingdom in that. The author C. S. Lewis wrote a memoir called ‘Surprised By Joy’. What about you? When were you last surprised by joy?

Jesus’s main teaching theme was the Kingdom of God. As you listen again to him speaking on his favourite topic, see if you can pick up on his tone. . .

This relationship between your joy and the Kingdom of heaven . . . what’s God wanting to say to you here?

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.