Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: July 30, 2025

Date: Wednesday of the 17^th Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text:  Matthew 13:44-46

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."

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The gospel reading for today brings us more of Jesus’ parables about the Kingdom of heaven. Today’s parables highlight the joy of the one who finds the precious treasure and willingly gives up the non-essential in order to secure the essential. While we can’t earn the Kingdom, we can weigh ourselves down with the non-essentials of life and surrender the joy of the truly essential.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Am I willing to set down the non-essentials in my life to free myself for the essential, for life in Christ?

Praying:

LORD, life presents us with so very many choices, and none is more essential than choosing You and life in, with and through You. Stir within us; make your transformative love open us fully to the joy of life in abundance with You. Grant that we may choose wisely; grant that we may choose always a loving relationship with You over perishable things. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.