This Week’s Homily for Year 10 Students on Matthew 13:44–46

Today’s Gospel is short, just three verses, but it holds a powerful message. Jesus tells us two little parables. First, a man finds a treasure hidden in a field. Then, another man, a merchant, finds a pearl so precious that he sells everything he owns just to buy it.

Now, let’s pause for a moment. Imagine you stumbled across something so incredible, so meaningful, that you’d give up everything else for it. What would that be for you? Maybe you’re thinking of something like fame, success, a dream job, or even something simple like security or popularity. But Jesus is pointing us to something even deeper: the Kingdom of Heaven: God’s love, God’s truth, and God’s presence in our lives.

Notice where the treasure is found – in a field. Just an ordinary field. Not in a palace or on a mountain. That’s the first lesson: God often reveals His presence in everyday places: our families, our friendships, our classrooms, even in moments of struggle. You don’t have to be perfect or in a special place to find God. You just have to be open.

The second message is about value. What is most valuable to you right now? We live in a world that constantly tells us what we should value: how many followers we have, how we look, how successful we are. But Jesus is saying, the greatest treasure is not something you can hold in your hand, it’s something that transforms your heart. That treasure is knowing who you are in God’s eyes: beloved, chosen and called.

And here’s the hard part: both people in the parables gave up everything. Real treasure demands a choice. Following Jesus means sometimes going against the crowd. It might mean standing up for what’s right when it’s not popular, or being kind when it’s easier to ignore. But it’s worth it.

Here at Chisholm Catholic College, we are named after Caroline Chisholm, someone who found her treasure in helping others, especially the vulnerable. Think of her, and of Saint Mary MacKillop, who once said: “Never see a need without doing something about it.” They knew what was worth living for and they gave their lives for it.

Let’s pray that we have the courage to seek what truly matters and the wisdom to know when we’ve found it.

Fr Ziggy Wloczek
College Chaplain