Can you remember as a child searching for ‘treasure’ in the Christmas pudding or reading about pirates in search of treasure? To find a treasure either by a stroke of luck or after a persistent search is really good fortune. What wouldn’t one do to find a Treasure Island or simply win Powerball?

Sue McPherson in her book ‘Grace beside me’ speaks of a time of stumbling around and searching for ‘inner peace’ – a more lasting treasure. Following a very trying time where an incident had left her angry, her Nan and Pop take her to the bush to sort through her feelings. It is spending time in nature, sitting and reflecting, she comes to realise she needs to somehow ‘let go’ of her anger. It is in the bush she experiences over time a deep pure calm overtaking her. She states ‘I know I am going to be okay.’ Later on talking to her Nan about this ‘new treasure of calm’ she felt, she asks “ I was wondering though ... what do we call it? That wave of calm what is it? ‘She’s called Grace – you just sat in the presence of Grace.’ ‘Grace beside me’ I whispered as I wiped away a tear. ‘Grace beside you always.’ Pop says nodding. [Pgs 199-200, 2012]

 A treasure is not something we can earn but something we find as Fuzzy did in the bush. We can spend a lot of our lives wishing and hoping that some treasure will come our way. We can forget that we already possess a wonderful treasure in our loved ones and in the gift of life itself.

The Kingdom of God is our Treasure to find!

In today’s Gospel Mathew 13:44-52 Jesus speaks again in Parables about the Kingdom of God. He speaks about a person finding a treasure buried in a field, upon realising the great worth of the treasure he sells all to buy the field. This is what happens when we discover the treasure of the Kingdom of God. In the Gospel there is interplay of searching, finding, celebrating, and selling all to possess something of great value. The discoveries of treasure and pearl disrupt normal daily life and priorities – they require risk and sacrifice and can shape life in a different way. Pope Francis says, ‘those who find it have no doubts, they sense that this is what they have been seeking and waiting for; and this is what fulfils their most authentic aspiration ...’

When we have this personal and loving encounter with the person of Jesus, we are so captivated and attracted by Jesus that we are willing to sell everything, to safe guard our relationship with him. [God’s Word Daily reflection 2020] As Christians, while Jesus is the treasure we are seeking, we find this can easily get clouded by events in our own life – worries, anxieties, insecurities and hardships. We need to perhaps ‘go bush’ like Fuzzy and ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of finding Jesus, so that we too may experience  ‘our most authentic aspirations’ being fulfilled.                                               

Marie Weatherall