The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 13:44There is a story about an African farmer who sold his land for a pittance so that he could go in search of diamonds in the rich diamond mines of his country. He labored hard for years in search of diamonds, but he found nothing. Finally, he succumbed to sickness and died.

The man who bought the farm, however, discovered diamonds in a stream that ran through the farm. He dug deeper, only to discover that he was standing on acres of diamonds that he had just purchased from the unfortunate seller.

The Gospel of Matthew, chapter thirteen, recounts yet another parable. This time it is the parable of the hidden treasure. The Lord tells us that the kingdom of heaven is like “a treasure hidden in a field.” We don’t have to go far afield to find this trove of hidden treasure like the poor African farmer who sold his acres of diamonds, unwittingly, thinking he might find them in some far off country. The grass, they say, is greener on the other side of the hill simply because it looks greener when in reality it is not. It is the same with us when it comes to our spiritual treasure. We are carrying this hidden treasure within us for “the kingdom of God is within you”, says the Lord.

This kingdom within is more precious than any other kind of treasure or precious pearls. It completes you, gives meaning to everything you do, and lights up your life with the gifts of faith, hope, and love. This means turning away from worldly corruption, and the restless pursuit of happiness based on the accumulation of mere toys and things to look inward at the abundant life the Lord implants within you.

People go chasing after all kinds of treasure that they think will make them happy or rich. Some people search for oil in deserts or in the depths of the sea; others search for gold, diamonds, precious metals, or vintage cars. All these riches are not actually ours to keep. They are the Lord’s, and we cannot take them with us. The Pharoahs of Egypt tried to take their possessions with them, but they were merely deluding themselves. How much more meaningful their lives would have been if they had used their riches to help their fellow man rather than suppress them. What a waste! The only treasure we can take with us is the hidden treasure within that breaks forth in the joy of living a good life of service to our fellow man. We can possess this treasure now in this life, and we will possess it for eternity in the next. But, we must start here, right now, where the Lord has planted us. That is why the Lord says: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His approval, and everything else will be granted unto you.” Think about that! If you put God first in your life, you will have nothing to fear for everything will fall into place.

Why spend your life chasing after treasures and possessions that never last and which will only decay with time? Possessions and riches are important in that they can improve the material quality of our lives. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but possessions are not worth dying for. Are they of more value to you than your soul? Surely, the rich, spiritual treasure within you is of more value to you than all other possessions? “What does it profit a man”, says the Lord, “if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?”

The only treasure worth sacrificing everything else for is the treasure of God’s kingdom which resides in the soul of every person who seeks it out. This is the treasure beyond price that fulfills all your longings, and brings true happiness.

Fr. Hugh Duffy