Archbishop of Sydney

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney
1 Kg 3:5-7,-12; Rom 8:28-30; Mt 13:44-52

By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
24 July 2005

Solomon was King of the Jewish nation about one thousands years before Christ Our Lord.  He was the son of King David and (one of David’s many wives), who built the first great temple in Jerusalem.  An Oriental despot, who imposed fierce taxes on his people and towards the end of his life lapsed into idolatry under the influence of his foreign born wives, he is also commonly reputed to have possessed unusual wisdom.  It pleased the Lord that he did not ask for riches or long life or the lives of his enemies, but for wisdom, for a discerning judgement.  Therefore we are told in this passage from the Old Testament Book of Kings that God gave him “a heart wise and shrewd as none before you has had and none will have after you”.  He is also commonly linked with the authorship of some of our beautiful psalms, which are used each day at Mass.

Regulars at Sunday Mass here in the Cathedral will have heard me talk a number of times about the importance of wisdom, of struggling to be wise from an early age.  Wisdom is not the same as cleverness; nor is it the same quality as the cunning of a wicked man.  The truly wise recognises what are the important issues or questions in life and gets those answers right.  A wise person is not someone who never makes a mistake, but someone who learns from their mistakes.  Foolish people make the same mistake time and time again!

In our childhood we are overwhelmingly dependent on our parents and family and to some extent on our school and friends.  As teenagers we receive more and more independence to make our own decisions and it is from that time that we learn to become wise.  Being wise is not the same as being well educated, because some with little education can be very wise indeed, but a good education and broad experience are helps to a wise person.

It is a wonderful blessing to have a few wise friends, who could be family members, with whom we can discuss important or difficult issues.

I think the Gospel passage today from Matthew is talking about this type of wisdom, when we read Our Lord’s claim that every scribe who becomes a disciple of the Kingdom is like “a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old”.  We do not expect a wise person to tell us what we know, but to throw new light on issues, to broaden or deepen our understanding.

Undoubtedly a wise person has something to say on the fundamental questions.  What is life about?  Does God exist? Is this one true God reasonable, benevolent and interested in us?  Can we truly and accurately say what actions are right or wrong?  Is there life after death?  Are there punishment and reward after death for how we lived our lives?  This is not a bad list for starters!

Again on this Sunday we have Our Lord touching on these basic issues in his parables, with the parables of the treasure hidden in the field and then the pearl of great price and then the parable or allegory about the end of time and the separation, not of the sheep from the goats, but of the good fish from the bad fish, all of which had been caught in a large net by the fishermen:

At this stage I cannot resist telling a story I heard during the week of a nineteenth century Protestant, who had a real problem with alcoholism.  However after one bender on one occasion he was sober enough to hear his young son ask his mother whether his dad would be numbered among the goats on the last day.  He was so touched, that he reformed his life and stayed away from the drink!

It is not unusual for Our Lord to put a couple of parables together to help us identify the central message, although experts have differed widely on what these parables mean.

Were the central players searching for the Kingdom or did they come upon the field by chance?  Undoubtedly genuine searchers are rewarded and respected by God.  The beautiful statue or memorial to Edith Stein, (the Jewish convert philosopher who was executed by the Nazis and whom we venerate as Saint Benedicta of the Cross) has these words inscribed: “Who is looking for the truth is looking for God even if he does not know it”.

Were the actors wise or foolish in risking everything for the Kingdom?  Were they simply good investors or brave and decisive?  What advantages does the Kingdom bring?  What does it mean to belong?

Jesus obviously felt it was supremely important to belong to the Kingdom of Heaven; in fact it is worth any sacrifice.

By belonging to the Kingdom we have the answers to the basic questions I outlined.  We come to know the truth about God and about this life and the next.  We know the basics about right and wrong and, importantly, the reality of God’s forgiveness.  This gives us a sense of purpose and brings a sense of direction to our lives.

Most importantly we come to know Jesus the Son of God.  We follow a person, not a set of principles.

On the Last Day will we be able to say to the Lord.  “Yes. I know you.  I studied your life.  I accept your teachings.  I admire and love you”.  Or shall we have to say “who are you?”

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.