Dear Friends,
Refugees and people in disaster areas often post signs
asking: “Has anyone seen…?” These desperate seekers are looking for the lost
loved ones they treasure. Over the last several years, news reports have told of sunken ships
found off the Florida coast, near
Columbia and in the Mediterranean Sea near Israel. Gold and various desirable
artifacts are on board. The search, in
all these cases, is for treasure.
It takes a developed skill to recognize a treasure. In
January 1996, a woman discovered that a statue of Cupid which adorned the lobby
of a Fifth Avenue building in New York City was more than a charming
decoration. It was a long-lost, authentic Michelangelo. Countless people saw it
daily for years, but only her eye, attuned to treasure, recognized it for what
it was. Can we, can our family,our nation recognize authentic treasure? What
are our treasures anyway? What would we go to the mat for? What quest absorbs
our time and energy? Do we name as treasure some of the realities we hold in
common with other people: our nation, our church, freedom, equality and human
rights for all people? Is God a treasure for us? Do we seek to know and embrace
the real Jesus Christ or are we satisfied with the Jesus of our own or someone
else’s making? Do we spend time with our timeless God? Do we work at
recognizing God as the indispensable, loving partner of our every moment?
Eavesdropping on the dream conversation between Solomon and God in 1Kings 3.5-12, God says to Solomon: "Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” Then God waits to see if Solomon would ask for a long life for himself, riches or the lives of his enemies. Solomon asked for none of these. Instead, he recognized that he was inexperienced in governing – which prompted him to ask for an understanding heart – i.e. wisdom to distinguish right from wrong- to serve as a leader who knows justice and compassion. It’s precisely that prayer for wisdom that I wish could be on your lips and mine as we make our way through life.
To retain or acquire a treasure is a costly thing. Whatever
it is that we prize, cherish or hold dear we will have to be willing to pay the
price - take a risk. Are we willing to submit our instinctive embrace of our
treasure to God ? Actively pursuing a real treasure requires that we let go of
whatever prevents us from acquiring it, as in the following telling
make-believe story.
Consider the man who so loved his native Crete that he died
clutching in his hands the soil of his land. Peter , ever ready to offer
hospitality at the gate of heaven, told the man he would have to leave the soil there or he
couldn’t come in. “No,” the man said. “I love it too much to let go!” The man’s
wails of protest sent Peter hurrying off to find Jesus, who came
to the gate and went through the same dialogue with the man from Crete. But Jesus
was adamant. “Look, friend. You either drop the soil or you don’t enter heaven.”
Reluctantly, the man let go of the soil which cascaded like rain back to
Crete. Then Jesus smiled , embraced the
man and said: “Come.” Together Jesus and the dejected, empty- handed man walked
up a long flight of stairs. At the top of the staircase, Jesus flung open the
double doors and there, in all its splendor… was Crete.
~Sister Joan Sobala
