By no means am I a gardener. In fact, I like saying that – although I can cook a variety of produce – I cannot grow anything in the soil. As far as my thumbs are concerned, there is no such thing as guaranteed-to-survive or easy-to-grow, no-maintenance plants. I should know. My sorry attempts at tending to plants have – unfortunately – ended up in abysmal failures.
However, I still believe there is something quite satisfying and amazing about the sight of a well-tended and beautiful agricultural expanse – whether it be a thriving vineyard, a field of tall wheat swaying in the breeze, or a backyard garden lovingly cared for by ones blessed with green thumbs. The life contained within it and to which it contributes are breathtaking reminders of a Kingdom still to come and yet – in many ways is already here.
Adventures in Treasure-Hunting
The thirteenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel is rich in agricultural imagery and experiences told through parables which Jesus related and taught. Many of those who heard would have been able to visualize seeds being sown by a sower, the different scenarios created by seeds falling on various types of soil and terrain, weeds growing among wheat, and the tiny mustard seed which ends up giving shelter to birds when it grows.
In as much as many of them “knew” what Jesus was talking about, their practical knowledge of the physical world could not help them plumb the depths of the hidden meaning of the parables, as Jesus Himself recalls the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah:
For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them (Mt 13:14-15).
More than the knowledge of those who rejected Jesus and His wisdom – which offended those who could not seem to fathom a carpenter’s son knowing and saying what He did – more than their pride, it was essential for those who did embrace Jesus to want to hear and understand. They had to want the treasure!
Out of Sight
My youngest children love to play hide-and-seek, especially my four-year-old daughter. The concept of “hiding” to make it more difficult for the seeker to find you is one which she is still learning. Her older brothers are learning how to hide well enough that the seeker has to work on finding them. This is part of the appeal: the work involved in searching results in the thrill of the find. The longer the search, the more triumphant the moment of discovery!
The same can be said of that which we look for because it is of great value to us. A good part of the treasure we seek and of which Jesus speaks about is the search itself and the moments of discovery:
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field (Mt 13:44).
This treasure is hidden – it is not obvious nor is it easily seen. A sense of adventure and willingness to work for what we want is part and parcel of the treasure itself. Our Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. Things which are easy to come by are often taken for granted. This priceless treasure is hidden and we must find it through our own effort and desire. We must want this – we must want Him!
Not Just Any Field
Where would you hide something so that it is not easy to find? You would think an epic adventure which would lead to the treasure of our lives would involve mountains, valleys, rivers and oceans. Yet – “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.” I have read and heard of this scriptural passage so many times, but only more carefully realized its deeper meaning a few weeks ago. I was stunned then, and thinking about it now still makes me want to contemplate it even more deeply.
You see, when I think of a field – at least most fields I have seen are this way – they are usually level. So whether you have grapevines or stalks of wheat growing on a field, it seems pretty much the same all around – left, right and centre. Perhaps you will have the odd tree somewhere sticking out or a slight dip or swell here and there, but for the most part, a field presents an ideal place for playing a game of hide-and-seek. It is easy to lose one’s bearings and get lost in it. We have an advantage, though: God wants us to have this treasure. We simply have to do our part.
Seek Ye First
This has convinced me of three things:
- There is a treasure to be had and it is the greatest one we can possibly imagine. It is within our possibility to find this treasure because God wants us to find it.
- We have to want to find this treasure as well because we have to work hard to find it. Perhaps we find it while tilling the field or pulling out weeds – whatever it may be, our effort and desire are necessary for the discovery of this priceless treasure.
- God loves a good game of hide-and-seek! Working for what we eventually find makes us appreciate what we have even more.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it (Mt 13:45-46).
A Cross Marks the Spot
What greater treasure is there than that of the kingdom of heaven? It is gloriously marked, not by worldly riches, magnificent castles, or the might of brute force, but by a Cross lovingly embraced by One Who was nailed to it like a common thief for Love.
The kingdom of God” is a reality that is both contemporary and eschatological: even though it begins on earth, it is not achieved definitively until the very end of time in heaven. It is a kingdom which is established in the heart of those who follow Christ: “let us not think of human kingdoms…. His kingdom is a kingdom of peace, of joy, of justice”[34]; a kingdom which Christians spread by their apostolate and which, by transforming people, reshapes human relations and facilitates people’s encounter with God little by little:
Jesus reminds all of us: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself.” If you put me at the center of all earthly activities, he is saying, by fulfilling the duty of each moment, in what appears important and what appears unimportant, I will draw everything to myself. My kingdom among you will be a reality! [35] (Guerra, François-Xavier, “Josemaría Escrivá, Christians and the Temporal City”)
This is worth much, much more – infinitely more – than any worldly riches or earthly possessions our finite brains can ever conceive of. It is the kind of treasure which makes us want to sell everything we have in order to buy and possess this field of divine dreams.
All In: Lock, Stock, and Field
Speaking in terms which anyone who has ever had to work a hard day to make a living, Jesus compares this treasure to something so valuable and significant, one would sell all one had in order to possess this treasure. Our Lord does not want half-measures or lukewarm responses. He wants us to wholeheartedly buy into this treasure of His very life and presence in our lives.
Day by day, as we work the land of the field in which God’s treasure is, the difference we make may not be so obvious to us. As far as our eyes can see, it is all level. We cannot see much more than where we are working, but we have what we need and we must do what we ought to do. The fruits of our love and labour may or may not be visible to us, but His kingdom grows and thrives as surely as the sun rises and sets each and every day.
