It’s a key part of the boarding adventure. Getting on a plane is
by no means a breeze. We seem to be coming aboard loaded down with more and
more stuff, packed in baggage presumably of a size that will fit under seats or
in overhead bins, and expecting there to be enough room on the aircraft. I’ve
seldom seen this unfold without some drama, involving no small amount of effort
on the part of the crew to find space somewhere for everyone’s things.
Sometimes people are told that there is no room on board, which elicits a
variety of reactions, to put it mildly. I admire the patience of the crew as
they deal with us passengers. If I were in their place, I’m sure I’d need to
get to confession soon after landing.
In the Gospel we heard proclaimed on Sunday, Jesus gives a lesson
in another - and far more important - type of 'baggage handling.' We tend to
accumulate a lot of things. What is important? What not? On the basis of what
principle do we make this discernment?
In the passage from St. Matthew (13:44-52), Jesus tells a number
of parables to explain “the kingdom of heaven.” By this phrase he is speaking
of the reign of God in our lives. It comes to us in the person of Jesus Christ,
the Son of God. By encounter with Him and surrender to his person and teaching,
we enter the joy of life in communion with God. There is no greater “treasure”
than this, no “pearl” of greater price. By these parables, Jesus teaches that,
like the farmer and the merchant, we should understand our relationship with
Jesus Christ, and all that it entails, as far surpassing in worth anything we
might possess, or that might be possessing us!
Easy to say. Sounds very good. Yet, of course, as with all the
parables of Jesus, these, too, involve a serious challenge to his hearers. Both
the farmer, who discovers the treasure in a field, and the merchant, who comes
across the pearl of great price, divest themselves of everything in order to
possess what they have found. Ah, there’s the rub. Divestment. Getting rid of
things. Handling baggage is one thing. Doing away with stuff is an entirely
different matter. We usually don’t like to let go of things to which we have
become attached. Notice, though, that the figures in the parables let go
joyfully! In comparison with the joy that is theirs in finding what is of
surpassing value, all else is suddenly seen in its true light: unimportant,
and, in fact, an obstacle to real joy.
This puts me in mind of a beautiful statement by St. Paul, who
found the treasure when Christ found him: “I regard everything as loss because
of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Phil 3:8)
So, how are we doing as baggage handlers? To be more precise, to
what are we holding on that stands in the way of our relationship with Jesus
Christ? This involves more than just physical possessions. We can also be
attached to the baggage of pride, reputation, hurts, inability to forgive, and
so on. There are times when it is good - indeed, necessary - to be told that
there is no room “on board” for these things. That’s exactly what Jesus is
teaching. So, let’s be ready to downsize, to divest, that we may live in the
priceless joy of knowing Jesus Christ.
