FAITH IN FOCUS: WHAT MAKES YOU TICK?
What makes a person tick? What is it that determines their lifestyle, their choices and their ultimate goals? What’s the treasure, the pearl of great value that they are searching for? For some people it’s about their status. They want to feel valued by their friends, to be respected in their local community and admired in their workplace. They will do anything to be one of the lads or one of the girls, will secretly long for public recognition such as an MBE or the employee of the year award.
Others seem to set their sights on money. In fact they end up feeling that because they have more money than others then they must be somehow better than them. Those who don’t have the money spend their time working to accumulate it or hoping that the lottery will one day bless them and admit them into the courts of the wealthy.
Living for pleasure and leisure gets to some people. A top of the range car, a cellar full of the finest vintage, a house in its own grounds with electronic security, a wardrobe stuffed with designer labels and a luxury yacht on which to take your annual cruise.
Skin deep is about as far as it goes for some people’s treasure. For them it’s all to do with outward appearances. Their prize possession is their gym pass, not for health reasons but so that they will look good to others. Lifts and tucks are the things of their dreams, and liposuction is their faithful friend.
All of these things come and go. If your reputation were ruined would it kill you? If you didn’t have a healthy bank balance would it mean you were a failure? If you were to live a simple uncomplicated lifestyle would it mean you were deprived? And if you had a face like a bag of spanners would it make you any less lovable?
Jesus told the crowds in today’s gospel that when you come across the kingdom of heaven on earth you’ll really know you’ve found it. You won’t be interested in all these other things because they will pale into significance compared with this pearl, and you’ll be prepared to give up everything to possess it.
If you found this pearl of great price, what would you have to sell to buy it?