Walking with Jesus: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time A

For Sunday, July 26, 2026

1 Kings 3:5, 7-12; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52


What do we feel that heaven is like? I remember somewhere, in the early years of grammar school, I was told that heaven is filled with everything nice. I translated it as everything I like. Well, I had a “love affair” with potato chips. The rule in our house was that we needed permission to open up our “goody bag,” but if it was already open we could eat some. I remember coming home from school one day and all my siblings were “wherever” — and there was an almost-full bag of potato chips. I ate the whole bag — that's one problem that still exists with me — and I got sick and threw up. What I thought heaven would contain was now erased from my imagination — which was a terrible sight, if you know what I mean.

There is an episode of The Twilight Zone (hosted by Rod Serling, who was born in my city of Syracuse, New York) that has a man going to what he thinks is heaven and everything he wants is there: Pretty girls surround him, he wins each spin of the roulette wheel, he holds every winning poker hand, and he has a great sports car. It’s all his, yet he’s disappointed. So he goes to “Saint Peter” and tells him he’s bored getting what he wants all the time. “So if this is heaven,” he says, “I want no part of it.” Peter’s response? “This isn’t heaven.” Heaven is God and God is Love and we will be totally filled with love, and God will thank us for being love to and for others.  

Let’s all reflect today on what heaven means. In Catholic theology, heaven is the ultimate state of supreme happiness achieved through direct, eternal communion with God. We call this the Beatific Vision and it is forever. Hell is defined as the external state of definitive self-exclusion from God’s presence, which is the inevitable consequence of dying in a state of unrepented mortal sin.

We begin today’s readings looking at Solomon, David’s son, who has been chosen by God to be King of Israel, the Promised Land. Down through the ages the “wisdom of Solomon” has been well-known and respected, and today’s passage in 1 Kings lays the format for its meaning. It reports an exchange between God and Solomon which takes place in a dream. God initiates the exchange, inviting Solomon to ask for whatever he desires. How interesting it is that we often pray, requesting what we want ... in this case, however, there is no reason given for God’s generosity. God gives because God is generous. This can lead to a wonderful reflection on gratitude in our lives — and where that gratitude is lacking.

Solomon humbles himself, saying he is young with no experience and the people he is called to rule are God’s chosen people. He asks for an understanding heart and wisdom, and he is given a wise and understanding heart. How does my heart and response measure up? What do I ask for?

Paul tells the Romans that all things work for good — which does not mean that everything will work out the way we want in the end. (Evil will be put down and justice will triumph.) This saying implies a strong trust in God, even when bad things happen to good people. When we love God, we believe God loves us and desires what is in our best interest. We have to look at God’s purpose and His plan: As Jesus said, God wants everyone He creates to be in heaven with Him, and he gives us all we need to get there. This is what predetermination means. All are called to conform our lives to the image of Christ. It is this conformity that will result in our being justified, and our justification will be the source of our glorification. Now, am I living as Christ? Am I loving as Jesus showed me? Or am I myself ruling?

Matthew depicts Jesus continuing to teach His disciples about the Kingdom of God in three parables. The first two parables, the treasure in the field and the pearl, point to the immeasurable value of the kingdom. The third, the net thrown in the water, treats the diverse composition of its content. The message is the realization that we belong to God and we always have. God is with us, all the time, helping us. Nothing compares with it, and that is why we should be willing to sacrifice everything to attain it. But are we willing to do that? Or do we think we have the answer for everything? Does this concur with Jesus’ love commands?

So I reflect on:

• God calls each of us to be faithful to our “covenant” with Him: “I will be your God … you will be My people.” Am I?
• Paul tells us that nothing can separate us — you and me — from the love of God. So how can I return to the love of God?

Sacred Space 2026 states:

“Trying to judge what the really important issues in our lives are usually takes time, so we pray for the wisdom to discern where to place our energies and the freedom to put our resolutions into action. Remember, where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also.”