What Is Worth Everything?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells three short stories: a man who finds a treasure hidden in a field, a merchant who discovers a pearl of great value, and a fisherman sorting fish in a net. At first, these stories seem unrelated, but they all answer one important question: What is truly worth giving your life for? The Kingdom of God is not simply a place we go after we die. Jesus speaks of the Kingdom as God’s reign in our lives – when we allow Him to be King of our hearts. The man and the merchant both discover something so valuable that they gladly sell everything they own to obtain it. Notice that Jesus does not say they gave everything because they were forced to. They gave everything because they had found something infinitely better. That is what faith is. Christianity is not first about giving things up; it is about discovering Someone so good that everything else finds its proper place.

This is one reason why becoming a Christian changes a person’s life. Imagine someone who has searched for happiness in money, success, popularity, or pleasure. Those things are not evil, but they cannot satisfy the deepest longing of the human heart. God created us for Himself. As St. Augustine famously said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” When someone encounters Jesus – not just as a historical figure, but as the living Son of God – they discover the greatest treasure they could ever find. That treasure is a relationship with Christ, who forgives our sins, gives us new life, and opens the gates of eternal life. The Catholic Church exists to help people find and remain close to that treasure through Scripture, the Sacraments, prayer, and the community of believers.

The third parable about the fishing net reminds us that the Kingdom is also about responsibility. The net gathers every kind of fish, but later there is a separation of the fish. Jesus is teaching that God welcomes everyone into His invitation, but each person must freely choose how to respond. God never forces anyone to love Him. At the end of our lives, what will matter most is not how wealthy we became, how successful we appeared, or how many people admired us. The question will simply be: Did I allow Christ to be the greatest treasure of my life? God’s judgement is not meant to frighten us but to remind us that our choices have eternal significance.

So how do we live this Gospel? First, seek the Treasure every day. Spend time with Jesus in prayer and in His Word. We cannot love someone we never get to know. Second, let go of what keeps you from Christ. Maybe it is pride, unforgiveness, a sinful habit, or simply being too busy. Every disciple has something to surrender, because nothing is worth losing the Kingdom of God. Third, share the Treasure with others. When you discover something truly life-changing, you naturally want others to experience it too. Faith is never meant to be hidden. Through kindness, honesty, forgiveness, and joyful witness, we become people who help others discover the same treasure we have found.

Perhaps today Jesus is asking each of us one simple question: “What is your greatest treasure?” If the answer is anything other than Him, He is not condemning us; but He is simply inviting us. He wants to show us that nothing in this world can compare with the joy of belonging to Him. The saints were not people who lost everything; they were people who found everything because they found Christ. And that invitation is still open today, whether you have followed Jesus for fifty years or whether you are hearing His voice for the very first time.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the treasure my heart has been searching for. So often I chase things that cannot truly satisfy me. Open my eyes to recognise Your presence and give me the courage to place You first in my life. Help me to seek You every day, to let go of whatever separates me from You, and to share the joy of knowing You with others. May my life show the world that You are worth everything. Amen.

– Homily by Rev Fr Patrick Agbeko