It’s not that the two characters in these short parables didn’t value what they already had. It’s that they invested that value in something even greater. They didn’t throw away what they owned: they sold it. They were able to turn what was of lesser value into what was of greater value.

They could never have done that if they had just been contented with what they already had. They were seekers. And the more which they sought was not just one extra thing on top of what they had. It was worth all of what they had. They weren’t complacent or self-satisfied. They were restless for more. They sensed there had to be more. They were open and ready to do whatever it took to secure that greater joy. They were prepared to let go of what they had in order to receive its true value back in the greater treasure they found.

Another way to put this is to say that they had a sense of purpose in life, a purpose which would give full meaning to everything else. They were not trapped in who they were or what they had here and now. They were men of the future, of hope in what they were yet to become and to possess. They weren’t distracted or held prisoner by the value of this or that thing which they already had. They had an inner compass, a focus, a sense of direction and they knew how to harness everything about them and make it serve their goal. What they seemed to let go, they in fact recovered in a fuller way.

Jesus identifies that goal as the kingdom of heaven, a favourite theme in Matthew’s Gospel. This kingdom, though, is not so much a place as the presence of the King Himself within us, ruling our minds and hearts. Jesus calls us to submit everything about us (our life, death, loves, possessions, hopes and dreams) to Himself. Only He can confer the true and full value on who we are and what we are accomplishing with our lives. And, as with the two men in these parables, He doesn’t want us to be complacent or self-satisfied with where we now are, with who we are and, even less so, with what we have. He doesn’t was us to limit ourselves to our own criteria, our own judgment. The true Christian is always a seeker of the greatest treasure which is Christ Himself. He is both the King and the Kingdom. In Him dwell all the riches of the fullness of God. In Him our humanity, body and soul, finds ultimate fulfilment. He works with those who love Him and seek Him to conform us to His own image, as St. Paul tells us, and to ready us for the purpose for which we were created – which is to be glorified in God.

Like those two men, we are called to be open and ready to do whatever it takes to secure this goal, this eternal joy. We are neither made nor meant to be trapped in who we are or what we have here and now. We are on a journey, a pilgrimage, and the north in our compass is to reach, with God’s grace, the plenitude of who He has destined us to become, to be co-images and coheirs with Jesus to eternal life. We must of course attend to the daily obligations of our state in this life and secure and use wisely the means necessary to do so. But we must be vigilant not to get trapped or imprisoned by these things lest we actually forfeit our true destiny.

So, Christ must be at the forefront and centre of our lives. We live for Christ. We love whomever we love for Christ. We work for Christ. We suffer for Christ. We die for Christ. He is the all-encompassing foundation, mainstay and purpose of our existence. He gives an inner sense of unity and purpose to the many diverse and oft competing aspects of our life. He is the ultimate reality of everything and everyone. When we are making the big and small decisions about our life, then, and about our work, our family, our spiritual lives, Christ and His Word and Will need to be our measure and standard. Christ must be at home in our homes, in our bodies and souls. His Name and His love, His Gospel and His loving presence need to be constantly on our lips because they are already in our hearts and on our minds. He is the pearl of great price without Whom everything else is nothing. He is the infinite treasure sometimes hidden in our lives but always there, always ready to comfort, strengthen, challenge, enlighten and renew us by the divine tenderness of His grace.

Solomon asked God for understanding and a discerning mind to govern Israel. In Christ, we have one who is greater than Solomon and who, in fact, gave Solomon his wisdom in the first place. Let us, too, ask Christ for the wisdom and discernment to grasp what He may want us to change, improve or consolidate in the governance of our own material and spiritual lives, of our households, of our places of work and recreation so as to become more like Him. In doing this, we are harnessing the true value of all we are and have and investing it in the Pearl of great price. Let’s quieten down the din of so many voices and gadgets and distractions which are so easily used by the Enemy to throw us off course, off Christ. We are called to share in the glory of God and to live with Him for ever. Don’t settle for anything less than Christ. He is the meaning of who you are. You are a pearl of great price to Him.