Today’s Gospel is a perfect description of the vocation of Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the “Compañia de Jesus”. It is about the man who had found a hidden treasure (or a pearl of great price) and, out of joy, went and disposed of all that he had in order to obtain the treasure.

The first reading too could be applied to what had happened to Iñigo when he discovered the transformative effect of prayer in his life. Like Moses, Ignatius experienced his whole being turning radiant whenever he “conversed with the Lord” in solitude.

FIRST READING
Ex 34:29-35

As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,
he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant
while he conversed with the LORD.
When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Moses
and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become,
they were afraid to come near him.
Only after Moses called to them did Aaron and all the rulers of the community come back to him.
Moses then spoke to them.
Later on, all the children of Israel came up to him,
and he enjoined on them all that the LORD had told him on Mount Sinai.
When he finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.
Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him, he removed the veil until he came out again.
On coming out, he would tell the children of Israel all that had been commanded.
Then the children of Israel would see that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant; so he would again put the veil over his face until he went in to converse with the LORD.

GOSPEL
Mt 13:44-46

Jesus said to his disciples:
“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.”