SELLS ALL THAT HE HAS AND BUYS IT
Jer 15,10.16-21; Ps 58; Mt 13,44-46
1 AUGUST
An example in the New Testament of the sale of all his possessions to “buy” Christ Jesus, his one and only treasure, is Paul of Tarsus. In truth he was conquered by Christ. After having been conquered, his life has only one goal: conquering Christ. Helping every other man so that he may conquer him. For Christ he has truly sold everything, that is, he has stripped himself of everything both spiritual and material. He kept nothing for himself. Not even his body he kept for himself. He made of it a gift to Christ the Lord, so that he could manifest himself alive through it.
Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew to win over Jews; to those under the law I became like one under the law – though I myself am not under the law – to win over those under the law. To those outside the law I became like one outside the law – though I am not outside God’s law but within the law of Christ – to win over those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it. Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified (1Cor 9,19-27).
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. Writing the same things to you is no burden for me but is a safeguard for you. Beware of the dogs! Beware of the evil workers! Beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, we who worship through the Spirit of God, who boast in Christ Jesus and do not put our confidence in flesh, although I myself have grounds for confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he can be confident in flesh, all the more can I. Circumcised on the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew parentage, in observance of the law a Pharisee, in zeal I persecuted the church, in righteousness based on the law I was blameless. (But) whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and (the) sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ (Jesus). Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus (Phil 3,1-15).
Our hidden treasure is Christ, his life and his death. We sell to Him our mortal body, He will give us his spiritual, glorious, incorruptible and immortal body. We give him time. He gives us eternity. We give him nothing. He gives us everything. The value of the purchase is not only inestimable, it is also eternal.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
The whole world is worthless before the choice of Christ the Lord. Those who choose the world proceed from death to death. Who chooses Christ Jesus advances from life to life.
Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that Lord Jesus is our one and only treasure.