Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A
July 30, 2017
Gospel: Mt 13:44-52
Jesus said to his disciples: "The kingdom of heaven is like a
treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all
that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a
merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he
goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is
like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is
full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is
bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go
out and separate the wicked from the righteous (*) and throw them into the
fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. "Do you
understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes." And he
replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of
heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the
new and the old."
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The difficult words
(*)The righteous are the people who do what is right and good.
This week’s spotlight
Solomon
In today's first reading, Solomon, the son of Bathsheba and King David,
prays in a dream. Solomon makes this prayer for wisdom because he had become
king at a very young age. God granted his request, and he became famous for his
wisdom and justice as Israel's ruler. He was so wise that people would travel
from all over the world to ask his advice. He is also known for building the
Temple in Jerusalem.
The Preface
We begin the Eucharistic Prayer with a prayer to God the Father called
the ’‘Preface.” The Preface is an introduction, and it leads us into the most
solemn moments of the Mass. This prayer; spoken or sung by the Priest alone,
tells God how right it is that we should thank and praise him. It recalls some
of the wonders God has done for us in Christ. It ends with the congregation’s
joyful singing of the "Holy, Holy, Holy" in union with all the angels
and saints.
Reflection
A precious gift!
Jesus teaches that the Kingdom of God is a treasure. A
treasure can be other things besides money. It’s something extremely precious.
Jesus is saying that faith is precious! The merchant who finds the valuable
pearl is happy to sell all he owns in order to have it. When you begin to
discover the gift of faith, your life begins to change. You begin to understand
that faith, like all that is precious, requires certain efforts.You will also
find, though, that making these extra efforts makes you feel more and more joy!
Take a look at your life. Think about what is most important to you. Think
about your greatest treasure. Is God on the top of your list? Even if not, you
are a treasure to God. God isn’t asking you to give up those you love, but to
understand that love itself is the treasure, for God is love. The more you
search for God, the more you will find that his is a kingdom of love! Keep
searching for the treasure! When you find God, you find all!
Discussion questions
1.Why does Jesus tell three stories?
2.What do the first two stories teach about?
3.What does the story of the fish teach about the end
of time?
After receiving Holy Communion, you can say this prayer
silently to yourself. If you have not yet received your First Communion, you
can still
say this prayer
because of your desire to receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in communion with the whole
Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. Help me to recognize that your
kingdom is the greatest treasure of my heart. Through this Holy Communion,
strengthen me to share your kingdom with others.
This week…
Look for something precious
While you're outside playing this week,
find something precious from nature (such as a pretty stone, a special leaf, or
a flower) to decorate your prayer corner and to remind you that your faith is a
treasure. It can also remind you that you are precious to God. Each time you
see that precious item, say a quick prayer of thanks and praise to God.
Share the treasure!
Choose something precious to you (one of
the precious objects you collected from nature or perhaps your favorite toy),
and give it away. You can give it to someone who is poor, to someone who is
lonely, or to someone who has done something special for you. Let this remind
you that faith and love are treasures to be shared with others, not just to be
kept for ourselves.
Spiral Puzzle
Source: usccb.org - Magnifikid - sermons4kids.com – rclblectionary.com
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