JULY 26, 2026 FATHER MICHAEL COUTTS
Last week, we had three parables to describe God’s patience and merciful kindness.
They were the parables of the wheat and weeds, the parable of the mustard seed, and the parable of the yeast or leaven in the flour.
This week, we have three more parables: two deal with the treasures, and one deals with the catching of fish.
We often look to Scripture scholars to get an understanding of Scriptures, or we expect our parish priest to unfold the word of God to us.
But each one of you listening or reading the Gospel of today can give an authentic interpretation of the parables.
There is only one standard to be kept. It is the same standard of Jesus.
He constantly challenged his listeners and gave comfort to those who are troubled. In a word, the teachings of Jesus comforted the afflicted and afflicted the comfortable.
If our interpretation of these parables does precisely this, then we are on the right track.
The three parables of this Sunday have to do with a prayer that we make each day, when we say the Our Father. It has to do with “your kingdom come.”
As we reflect on the coming of the kingdom, we must keep two things in mind. In the first place, no one can earn, buy or sell the kingdom of God.
So, it is mildly heretical to sing that hymn “Let Us Build the City of God.” It’s a beautiful hymn, but nevertheless, it’s a hymn that we sing a bit heretical.
In the second place, the kingdom of God is a pure gift from God. Our efforts lie in preparing ourselves to receive this gift, and in this light, we consider the parables.
The first parable, a man who discovers by accident a treasure in a field. He covers the treasure and then buys the land. It is a rather dubious transaction, don’t you think so? He does not have a moral right to dig in someone else’s ground.
The second is a merchant who searches and finds a treasure. Where he finds the treasure is totally immaterial.
The first treasure is by accident. The second treasure is by searching. Would we judge these two men as good or bad?
Whatever the evaluation in our minds, both of them would fit in the third parable.
It is the parable of the net, which is thrown into the water and brings all type of fish: some good, some bad. Some are edible and very tasty. Others must be cast away.
The kingdom of God is open to all. It is precisely like this net. The choice is ours whether to enter or not. The rest is a pure gift of God.
This brings us to our first reading: the choice of Solomon.
God has planted in our minds, in our hearts, in our consciences, the compass to make the right choice.
Solomon was given a choice. It seemed like a fairy tale, “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp.” Solomon could very well have chosen, like many of us would do, wealth and victory over his enemies.
Life is tough, and if some barriers could be removed, it would benefit all of us.
Wealth and victory were the main goalposts in the time of David and Solomon, and they are the same targets for us today.
We dream how we would spend the winnings of Lotto 649 or Max Millions if we won it. We would pay off debts. We would buy a car. We would give up our day job. We would send our kids to the university. We would pay off the mortgages on our own house and the mortgages of children.
We do this even when we haven’t bought the ticket. We dream these dreams.
My friends promise me, “I will make a big donation to the Church when I win the lottery.” Under my breath, I sing Buddy Holly’s song, “That Will Be the Day.”
Some of them don’t even buy tickets, and they make the promise.
For a few of us, we would thank God for peace of mind, that we enjoy the job I work when so many are unemployed.
Happy children, with their real problems and some imaginary problems.
As the AA members would say with Solomon, “Give me a serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”
So, what is the wisdom that we have today?
Is it the wisdom that we get from getting a PhD, or we call people wise because they are profitable in business?
Or do we have the wisdom that simply says, “I am skilled in everyday work”?
The wisdom in the Gospel and in the Bible is somebody who can do things with their hands.
But all these wisdoms, when they’re put together, is a sheer gift from God.
When God solves your problems, you have faith in his ability. When God does not solve your problems, then God has faith in your abilities.
And for this gift and for the wisdom that God gives us, may we truly be blessed and give praise and glory to God and say once again, like the treasure, “Your kingdom come, your will be done.”
God bless you all.
