Pastor's Note from Fr. Szparagowski 📝 - [July 26th Bulletin]

Dear St. Philip Neri Family and Friends,

we give praise and thanks to God for His graces and blessings!

What is it that we treasure?

I think that’s a good question for all of us to ask ourselves every once in a while. What is really important to me? What do I value? And maybe even more importantly, what am I willing to sacrifice for? Because, if we think about it, what we treasure often determines how we live our lives.

If we treasure our family, we are willing to make sacrifices for our family. We give up our time. We change our plans. We do things we may not always feel like doing, but we do them because the people we love are important to us.

If we treasure our work or our success, we make sacrifices for that as well.

So, Jesus gives us three parables today about the treasure hidden in the field and the merchant who finds a pearl of great price. When they find what they are looking for, they are willing to give up everything to possess it. Why? They recognize its value. They understand that what they have found is worth more than everything else they have.

I think this is really the question Jesus is asking us today: Do we recognize the value of our faith? Do we recognize the treasure that we have in God?

Because sometimes, if we are honest, we can say we believe in God, but we don’t always live as if God is our greatest treasure. We get busy. We worry. We get overwhelmed. We become consumed with the problems of our lives. We think about our families, our work, our health, our future. Sometimes, without even realizing it, God can slowly move to the side. Not because we don’t love God, but simply because life can become so busy.

In the first reading, Solomon has this incredible opportunity. God says to him, essentially,

“Ask me for whatever you want.”

Can you imagine if God said that to us? What would we ask for? More money? A longer life? Better health? Fewer problems?

Solomon asks for something different. He asks for an understanding heart. He asks for the wisdom to know and do God’s will. Solomon understood what the real treasure was. He understood that the greatest thing we can possess in life is not money or success or anything the world can give us. The greatest treasure is God and the grace to live according to God’s will.

Perhaps this is something we need to think about today. What am I willing to give up to do God’s will? Am I willing to put God first, even when it is difficult?

At times doing God’s will does require sacrifice.

Now here is the beautiful thing about our faith, we never make those sacrifices alone. God is always with us.

St. Paul tells us today that God works all things for the good of those who love Him.

This does not mean that everything in life is easy. It doesn’t mean that we will never suffer or that we will never have moments of confusion or fear.

It does mean that God is never absent from our lives.

Even when we don’t understand what God is doing, He is there.

Even when we feel alone, He is there.

Even when we are going through a difficult time and we wonder,

“Where is God?”

God is always with us. This is the treasure of our faith.

I pray for you every day, especially at Mass. Please pray for me.

Please invite someone to Mass today.

St. Philip Neri, pray for us.

Have a blessed week,

Fr. Szparagowski