The Sell and Buy Business

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
Matthew 13: 44-52

Our gospel today is all about finding the real treasure in our life. Without any doubt, we say, we found our treasure! God Himself is our greatest treasure and pearl of great value. As Christians, we know that God must be at the center of our lives. We agree that our decisions and actions must always be in line with God’s commandments. Amen! But when we look closer at our lives, we can see some inconsistencies between what we say and what we do. We don’t really walk the talk.

Let’s look closer. Some of us prefer to clean the garden than to attend Sunday Mass with their families. Some choose to work overtime on Sundays for an extra income than to chat with their children. Some could afford to read their friends’ status and view photos in their Facebook for hours, but they don’t have time for prayer and spiritual readings. Some likes listening to music but not listening to a confused friend. Some loves window shopping but not volunteering in a soup kitchen. We are curious about Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, but not with the life of Jesus. We can easily add more to this short list of our misgivings. We are blinded. We tell our children that God is important in our life, yet our priorities, decisions, and actions contradict what our lips are saying. If we are true to our words that God is our treasure or pearl of great prize, then let’s really prioritize God in our life both in our words and actions.

The parables call us to give up our treasures of lesser value before it’s too late. Material blessings could give us satisfaction and self-gratification, but not genuine happiness that could last forever. Thus, the selling and buying of treasures are necessary. Let’s evaluate our priorities and rearrange them according to their importance in our life. Let’s not waste our God given grace – time, talent, treasure - to something which is not really important in the end.

Look closer at your life. Reflect. What really is your pearl of great value? If it’s God, do people see it in your actions? If you have a social life, do you have a spiritual life? How much of your quality time goes to your family? How do you handle your God-given time, talent and treasure? Do you see them as graces given to us to buy “heavenly treasures” by using them to help those in need? Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Mt. 6:21).

A hermit was praying by the river when a young man disturbed him, “Master, I want to become your disciple.” The hermit said, “Why?” The young man said: “Because I want to find God.” The hermit grabbed him in his neck and dipped his head under water. After a minute of kicking and struggling, the hermit pulled the young man out of the water. The young man gasped to catch his breath. And the hermit said, “Tell me, what do you want most when you were under water.” “Air!” answered the young man. Then the hermit said, “Then go home first and come back again when you want God as much as you just wanted air.”

The Kingdom of God is not totally free. We need to work for it to merit it. Let’s use our God given gifts – time, talents and treasures - to acquire a place in God’s Kingdom. It’s urgent and necessary, for the Kingdom of God is worth keeping than all of our worldly treasures combined.

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Prayer: "God our Father and Protector, without you nothing is holy, nothing has value. Guide us to everlasting life by helping us to use wisely the blessings you have given to the world. Ame,"


- Fr.Willy M. Samson,SJ
(St.Joseph Parish, Zamboanga City)

Is it worth doing it?

16th Sunday of the Year
Matthew 13: 24 – 43


Our gospel for today is a continuation of last Sunday’s gospel, the parable of the sower. In this parable, we have learned that God always provides good seeds. And our main responsibility is to provide good soil so that the good seeds planted by God will have good harvest.

Unfortunately, to provide good soil for the good seeds are not enough. The story of the parable of the weeds warns us of an enemy. The enemy may come without our knowledge and throw weeds in the good soil we have provided for our family and community. These things are beyond our control and could greatly influence our children and destroy the good seeds that God had planted. These weeds are the enemy of the good seeds. They may come to us in the form of worldly values and temptations. Our experience tells us also that even us - parents, teachers, bishops, priests, religious and formators - are not immune from the corruption of the weeds. Our weaknesses, selfishness and sins sometimes stop us from doing what is noble and right. St.Paul even confirmed it, “I cannot understand myself, the things that I should do, and I am not doing. The things that I should not do, I am doing.”

To remove the bad weeds in ourselves is not as simple as deleting a virus from our laptop. Some of these weeds are deeply rooted in our hearts and culture and could influence our behavior and decision making. It would take a lot of self-retrospection and awareness before we can even see, accept and resolve to change ourselves for a better person. Formation is a lifetime process. Forming people takes a lot of time, effort and dedication. But if we care, we don’t mind the difficulty.

How do we sustain our effort to help people? Our gospel challenges us to do three things: 1) Be patient. 2) Keep your calm. 3) And never give up.

To form God fearing, responsible, and loving individuals is not an easy task. The influence of evil is deeply rooted in us. The three parables invite us to be more hopeful rather than hopeless in dealing with those seemingly difficult and problematic people in our lives. But is it worth doing it?

The next two parables - the mustard seed and the yeast - give us reasons why we should not give up in forming and guiding the “prodigal sons and daughters” in our lives. With good soil and personal care, a small mustard seed is capable of becoming a huge tree where birds can come and rest. When used correctly, a small amount of yeast could bring a large quantity of dough to rise. The two parables are invitations to be more positive and hopeful with others. We don’t want their talents and innate goodness to go to waste. Giving up is not an option. With our patience, understanding, and constant love, one day we shall reap a bountiful harvest from our labor.

One of my students from Xavier University ten year ago visited me last week. I was thrilled to know from him that most of my noisy, hard to discipline and problematic students in high school are doing great. Most of them hold key positions in the local government and multi-national companies. They are well loved by their families and peers. Out of sheer joy, I texted one of them and congratulate him. My former student responded, “Because good teachers like you, never gave up on us.”

Sometimes our role is just to plant, plant, and plant. We are just planters. Somebody after us will do the harvest.

That’s more than enough to console me. It’s worth doing it.


- Fr. Willy M. Samson,SJ
Zamboanga Catedral

The Good Soil

15th Sunday in the Ordinary Time – (A)
Matthew 13:1-23 or 13:1-9

Our gospel for today tells us that good soil is the secret of a bountiful harvest. Even if the seeds are exceptionally good, a good harvest is doubtful if the soil where the seeds are planted is rocky, thorny or dry.

Our Christian values, faith, and goodness are the “good seeds” that God planted in us. We are basically good and talented. Unfortunately to some of us, these potentially powerful “seeds of faith, love, goodness, and intelligence” planted in our hearts, will never have a chance of good harvest for the lack of good soil to grow.

An honest child is influenced by his honest parents. Well-motivated members are inspired by their very supportive leader. Good priests and religious are products of good formation program and good community life. Hardworking students are inspired by their good teachers. Good soil produces good fruits. Bad soil produces bad fruits. Good soil then is crucial for one’s maturity, character and spiritual growth. Who you are now is the product of your own family and community influence.

Therefore, the challenge is how to create “good soil” in our family and community so as to foster the growth of the good seeds in us. We need the following positive basic fertilizers to produce good and fertile soil:

1. Positive Meaning
2. Positive Environment
3. Positive Relationship
4. Positive Communication
5. Positive Stories

Do I consciously provide these fertilizers in my family or community life? It reminds me of this article written by an unknown author:

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, he, he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame, he learns to be guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to love the world.
If a children lives with love of God, they learn to be human and discover their happiness.

Values and character are caught and not just learned. Let’s stop blaming the government and the poor for the proliferation of street children and the increase of youth violence and crime. We need to be more pro-active and stop criticizing. What can we do to help them? We need to do something, like assisting poor students in their education.

Good seeds are already planted in ourselves, in our children, students, friends, and members. Let’s not waste them. Let’s start providing good soil in our family and community. This is one of our Christian duties that God expects us to do. And God wants us to do it well, for the future harvest depends on us.

Good ground matters a lot. For The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.


- Willy M. Samson,SJ