Reflections of Caritas

“But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.’” – Matthew 15:25

“At once Jesus spoke to them, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.’” – Matthew 14:27

“Jesus said to them, ‘There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.’” – Matthew 14:16

The great English thinker G.K. Chesterton once wrote that, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”

“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.” – Matthew 13:43

Why does the man in today’s Gospel passage sell everything to buy the field of treasure? He does so “out of joy”. The precious pearl he has found gives him far greater joy than all his other possessions combined. It’s clear then that joy is the gift God is offering us when He invites us into His kingdom.