By Msgr. Joseph Prior • Posted July 23, 2026

(See the readings for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

It wasn’t love at first sight. Ella had been dating Jim for a few months. She enjoyed spending time together. They had some mutual interests that helped them get to know each other. They also had some shared friendships that provided some social time together.

Years later, reflecting back on the relationship, she told her daughter: “It was one night in September. We were having dinner together at a small, quiet place near the lake. We were having a pleasant conversation about life and our hopes for the future. It was at that moment, during that dinner and in that conversation, that I realized I was in love with your father and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.”

The story may help illustrate a certain aspect of Jesus’ parable of the Hidden Treasure or the Pearl of Great Price, which are part of the Gospel passage for this Sunday’s liturgy. Both point to finding something of great value and placing this as the highest priority in life. The person finding the hidden treasure goes and sells all they have so that they can buy the field and the hidden treasure.

Jesus uses the parable to invite us to ponder a certain aspect of the Kingdom of God and heaven. One thing to keep in mind when we hear Jesus speaking of the “Kingdom of God (and) heaven,” is that when He does so He is speaking about a worldview where God is king. The person living with this worldview recognizes God as the just and merciful king who loves His people.

They recognize that He who creates life is Life itself; He who is all loving is Love itself; He who is all merciful is Mercy itself; He who is all just is Justice itself; He who is all knowing is Wisdom itself; and He who is good is Goodness itself. Being a citizen of the Kingdom means to acknowledge, acclaim, proclaim and praise God as king.

Recognizing God’s kingship in our lives is an ongoing endeavor. The story of Ella and her realization that Jim was “the one” might help us understand the parable and serve as an illustration of our relationship with God. Ella and Jim’s relationship began when they first met. They spent time together both alone and with friends. They shared some interests together and they got to know each other through these encounters.

Only with time did Ella get to the moment when she realized the “hidden treasure” in front of her. It was a special moment in the relationship when she realized that the most important person in her life, the one with whom she wanted to share her life, was Jim. It was one of those moments where people use the expressions, “the lightbulb went on” or “my eyes were opened.”

Ella’s situation is similar to ours when we realize or recognize God as king of our life and that of the world. It could be in a moment when we realize His love. It could be in a moment when we receive His mercy. It could be in a moment of consolation or even of challenge. Regardless of the specifics, the awareness is what is important for it helps us value the relationship and to live accordingly.

King Solomon may provide an example of this. In the first reading for Sunday’s liturgy, we hear that Solomon has now succeeded his father David as king of Israel. The Lord appears to Solomon in a dream and tells him to ask for anything he wishes. Before answering Solomon acknowledges that although he is king, he serves God and is His servant.

In a certain sense Solomon recognizes that God is the real King of Israel and the source of all that is good, right and just. In his role as king, he will represent God so Solomon asks for “an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong” so as to rule with justice and mercy.

Solomon could have requested power and treasure, happiness and health, prosperity and longevity. But he didn’t. Rather he chose to ask for a share in divine wisdom, a treasure more valuable than anything of this world. Solomon gives us an example of how to respond when we find that “pearl of great worth” or that “hidden treasure buried in a field.”

Recognizing God’s love for us, it is like finding that treasure. It changes everything. Our response then is to acclaim God King, listen to His Word, and joyfully follow on His way.

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Msgr. Joseph Prior is pastor of St. Dorothy Parish in Drexel Hill and a former professor of Sacred Scripture and rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. Read more reflections by Msgr. Prior here.