17 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
IN PERSUIT OF WISDOM

Once a Genie appeared to a man and said, “You may ask any one wish that you think more precious for you. I will grand it.” My brother is dying. I want to reconcile with him before he dies. Please grant me the gift of reconciliation”, he replied. The Gene was impressed with his request. Out of curiosity, the Gene asked him, “Definitely it is a great wish! What motivate you to reconcile with your brother at this last moment?” “Oh he is worth for one billion”’ he answered.

Our first reading is about a promise. God said to Solomon, “Ask anything! I will grant it for you”. What did Solomon ask? He did not ask for wealth or power, instead he said, “Grant me the wisdom……” He knew the power of the wealth of wisdom.

All the three Gospel parables talk about people who understood what really matters in life. They talk about people who found the real treasures of life. We all treasure certain things! Do we treasure what really matters? This is important, as our heart is where our treasure is. Our life centers on what we values the most. I remember this incident. Tom was a businessperson from Mumbai. I met him about 20 years ago. He was a no practicing Catholic. On a number of occasions, I invited him to the Church. One day he said, “Father, Church and religion is for people who are over 65 years old”. A few months later, his wife died in a car accident. It devastated him. He came to the Church on the same evening, crying and grieving. He said to the pastor, “I lost my wife. My wealth and influence could not save my wife. The very thing I trusted failed me…Help me”

We know what matters in life. The treasure that sustains our life is Jesus, the Word incarnated. The question is: Do we take necessary steps to achieve it? The people in the parable not only discovered the real treasure of life but also sacrificed everything else to achieve it. Let us pray for the wisdom to discern God’s ways and the courage what is right. As Paul says, “ Everything will work for the good for those who put their trust in God.