Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Matthew (13: 44-46) in which Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field or a merchant looking for fine pearls. Fr Paul says what we learn from today’s Gospel is that the followers of Jesus must be convinced that the Kingdom of Heaven is worth everything: the demands of the Kingdom are absolute, as we have seen so constantly, like with the man who was not even allowed to bury his dead family member. The feature which appears in both parables is ‘sell everything he owns’. Combine this with the reluctance of the disciples to accept the message of suffering, their inability to understand that Christ must enter into his glory only by suffering, then we enter into the world of the first generation of Christians. To become a Christian might lose them their jobs and friends. To be a Christian might lead to persecution from Jews or Romans. To be a Christian might cut them off from advancement. Fr Paul invites us to reflect today on our own lives, and ask ourselves ‘How ready am I to accept suffering and persecution in the name of Jesus?’