By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami
Homily by Archbishop Thomas Wenski at Mass during the Napa Institute’s Summer Conference in Napa Valley, California. July, 25, 2026.
When I was a young priest, I remember a certain pastor that would tell his parishioners that they write their autobiography every day with their check books. Writing checks today is just about obsolete, but this pastor was telling his parishioners that what they bought showed what they valued, what they prioritized, what was important to them.
The scripture readings today invite us to examine, to evaluate what we truly value. In the first reading, God gave a young king Solomon a blank check, as it were. Ask for anything you want, God told him. He did not ask for material wealth, social status, or even creature comforts. He asked to an understanding heart – a listening heart to discern right from wrong, he sought divine wisdom so as not to mistake the superficial glitz of the world for the genuine, everlasting treasure of God.
In the Gospel, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a hidden treasure found in a field and a pearl of great price. The individuals who find these items do something radical: they joyfully sell everything they have to acquire them.
Notice the emotional response of the man who found the hidden treasure: he acted "out of joy." Giving up everything he owned did not feel like a burdensome chore or a tragic loss; it was a bargain.
True Christian discipleship is not about miserable self-deprivation. As Christians we can enjoy good wine. But, it is about a joyful trade. We give up our control, our sinful attachments, and our small-minded ambitions because we have found something infinitely better. As St. Paul echoes in the second reading, when our lives are fully aligned with God's purpose, we can rest easy knowing that He will make all things work out for our ultimate good.
Of course, the final parable of the dragnet reminds us of the reality of judgment. The net gathers fish of every kind, good and bad, but at the end of the age, there comes a sorting out. God offers His grace abundantly to everyone, but our daily choices determine which category we fall into.
Those check stubs, those credit card receipts can tell more about us and what we truly value than we would care to admit. What are the attachments, the habits we cling to that perhaps we should “sell” in order to purchase that pearl of great price. Again, as I said, true discipleship is a trade, a joyful trade. We trade our anxiety for His peace. We trade our temporary, passing pleasures for His eternal joy. We trade our broken, messy control over our lives for His perfect, loving will.
Give us, Lord, a listening heart! And holding on to that pearl of great price, our life in Christ, may we face the trials of life convinced that all things work together for good for those that love God.
