July 26, 2026

Dear Parishioners,

These are among my favorite parables of our Lord: the treasure buried in the field, the pearl of great price, and the dragnet catching all different types of fish. Let me start with the pearl of great price.

The searching merchant finds this most valuable pearl at the market amongst all the other pearls, stones, and pieces of jewelry. There is something about this one particular pearl that stands out above the rest. Other merchants and shoppers don’t recognize it. Even the merchant who presently owns the pearl doesn’t appreciate its value. But the searching merchant knows exactly why this pearl is so precious. And he goes after it. He’ll do whatever it takes to be near that beautiful pearl.

I love this parable because it shows passion and devotion. I like the fact that it is the searching merchant who is lifted up as the ideal. Not the merchant who already has everything he wants, but a merchant who is hungering for more. This resonates with me (and I hope with you too), as I am always hungering for more–a deeper love for our Lord, a greater possession of my own heart so as to be able to give it away.

Even more significantly, I love the idea of the pearl because, as I’ve grown older, I’ve begun to see who the pearls in my life are. Jesus, of course, is my pearl of great price. But there are other pearls too. And notice I say specifically who the pearls are. Earlier in my life, the ‘pearl’ might have been a thing: my intellect, my resume, my achievements, my future, my health. Now, the pearls for me are people. Particular people who have come into my life have caught my eye and caught my heart, like that pearl on the shelf caught the merchant’s eye and heart. These pearls have helped me see God. They have strengthened my heart, taught me more how to love, deepened my commitment to my priesthood, the church, and my promises of prayer, poverty, chastity, and obedience. These pearls have made my life blessed. The parable is a nice occasion to acknowledge that I need pearls and that God has blessed me with pearls.

You might pray about who the pearl(s) in your life are, other than Christ, of course. You might also consider telling this person they are your pearl. Think of what that could do to their heart. Imagine how you would feel if someone said you were their pearl–that you are so special that they would sell anything for you, they would fight for you, they would even die for you. Our Lord is so generous in making us pearls for one another. He could have made himself the only pearl, but he spread the wealth.

You all know, I’m sure, how a pearl is formed. It starts as a grain of sand that finds its way inside the shell of the mollusk. The sand is irritating, so the mollusk over time coats it with enamel. The point is that we don’t start as pearls. We, rough grains of sand, are refined and formed over the years to become those pearls for one another. So, if someone isn’t a pearl for you right now, then be patient. They one day may become that pearl.

Then there is the treasure buried in the field. If the pearl for me is a person (or two), then the treasure would be my vocation–my priesthood. I’ve literally sold out, given up everything, for the priesthood and the church. What is your treasure? Is it your children, your marriage, your profession?

I imagine the treasure buried in the field to be that classic wooden treasure chest, like a pirate’s, filled with all sorts of jewels, coins, vessels, gemstones, and the like. If the treasure has been buried for a long time, however, some of these items may have rusted or deteriorated. Not everything is perfect in the treasure chest. This is the point about the third parable–the dragnet. The massive net catches good fish and bad fish alike. Our vocations, while they are precious and serve as the purpose of our lives, have some imperfect elements in them. Your marriage, your children, your job, my priesthood, etc., isn’t always shining and glorious. Like the treasure chest and net, there is a broken necklace, a rusted ring, a weird fish, etc. It doesn’t mean, though, that your vocation isn’t a treasure. It doesn’t mean you should abandon it, look for a better treasure. Perhaps God is calling us to sort through some of those imperfect elements and work to clean them up. Or, even more challengingly, God might be calling us to accept the imperfect elements as the treasure.

Hopefully within the treasure chest that is your vocation is your pearl of great price. Hopefully that person (the pearl) helps make your vocation all the more complete. This is what true love is. A person is a pearl when the love they give you is a love that is best for you; not a love that is only good for them. May you in turn be that pearl, loving your significant other in a way that makes them truly shine.

Jesus ends this little teaching on the parables by saying that we are like the head of the household who is meant to bring forth the items from his storeroom, new and old. If you’ve found your pearl, found your treasure, and accepted them, then be ready for God to bring you out of the storeroom and use you as a source of grace for others who haven’t found their treasures.

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This weekend is the annual Archdiocesan Mission Appeal. We welcome Fr. Anthony Raj, a missionary priest who will celebrate all the Masses and speak on behalf of the The Bishop Iruthayaraj Foundation. This is a Catholic nonprofit dedicated to uplifting the most marginalized communities in rural India and Africa. The people in the organization serve in places where poverty, isolation, and lack of infrastructure deeply wound human dignity. In India, they work across underserved dioceses to renovate presbyteries and chapels, repair school roofs and sanitation facilities, and build protective compound walls around vulnerable campuses. In Africa—especially Zambia—we support emerging communities by providing access to clean water, basic education, and spiritual formation. Their mission also extends to sustaining pastoral centers, supporting the formation of seminarians and lay leaders, and offering medical care for elderly clergy who have given their lives in service to the Church. Thank you for welcoming Fr. Anthony and for your generosity.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. James