17th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2026

My dear brothers and sisters, I want you to take a cursory look at our world today. In that world, I see what I term "The Tyranny of False Treasures." The fundamental error of modern men and women is not that they desire a treasure; no, it is that their treasure is too small.

Our Lord proclaimed in the Gospel of Matthew 6:21, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Notice He did not say, "Where your heart is, there your treasure will follow." The heart is an anchor; it drops wherever you throw it, and it drags your entire life down to that depth.

If your treasure is in wealth, your heart lives in a vault, constantly terrified of inflation, market crashes, and thieves. If your treasure is in pleasure, your heart lives in fleeting things, only to crash into revulsion and boredom. If your treasure is in ego and acclaim, your heart is a slave to the fickle whims of public opinion. We have always convinced ourselves that if we just gather a little more copper, we will eventually feel rich. But I tell you this for free: you cannot satisfy an infinite hunger with finite food.

What Is the True Treasure?

The Gospel of today answers it for us using two parables. But for clarity, true treasure is not a philosophy, not a theology, nor is it an abstract ethical system. The True Treasure is a Person: Jesus Christ Himself.

The Divine Master presents to us a man walking through a dusty, ordinary field. Suddenly, his iron blade strikes something hard beneath the soil. He digs, clears away the dirt, and then sees an immense treasure.

What does the man do next? He does not just admire the treasure, nor does he take a portion and leave the rest buried. No, he goes home, sells all that he has, and buys that field.

To the ignorant mind, the world will say to this man, "How can you give up all your life savings by selling your home, your company, your assets, your cattle, and your inheritance just for an ordinary treasure in a field?" But the Gospel says he did it with joy.

When a young man walks up to the altar to be a priest, he abandons all other options—not because he hates the world, but because he has found the One who fulfills his heart more than any other desire that the world may offer.

Where is your treasure? Our modern-day Christians and believers seem to be interested in this treasure, but they want to keep the old field. We want Christ, but we also want ego; we want Christ, yet we tightly hold onto our petty attachments to the world. But here is the message: this Treasure certainly will cost everything that you are. Yet, when you surrender everything, you will discover you have gained everything.

Look at King Solomon. God offered him everything; instead of wealth, power, and might, he asked for a wise, understanding heart. He really knew what was truly valuable to ask for. St. Teresa of Avila captured the whole idea when she said, "Let nothing frighten you... whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices." That is the treasure the Church is talking about today.

That Treasure is here again with you: Jesus in the Eucharist. You don’t need to travel miles to meet Him; we only need our eyes to recognize Him and our hearts to welcome Him.

Worldly treasures are subtracted when shared. If you have a hundred dollars and give away fifty, you have less. But the Divine Treasure is multiplied when shared. The more you give away the love of Christ, the more abundant it becomes within you.

To receive Him, we must empty ourselves of our old versions of life, for God cannot fill us unless we empty ourselves—for no cup can be filled unless it is empty.

JESUS LOVES YOU

Fr. Emmanuel prays for you.