20260726 SEEKING THE OVERARCHING PURPOSE OF YOUR LIFE
26 July 2026, Sunday, 17th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
1 Kings 3:5,7-12 |
Solomon chooses the gift of wisdom
The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, ‘Ask what you would like me to give you.’ Solomon replied, ‘O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in succession to David my father. But I am a very young man, unskilled in leadership. Your servant finds himself in the midst of this people of yours that you have chosen, a people so many its number cannot be counted or reckoned. Give your servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil, for who could govern this people of yours that is so great?’ It pleased the Lord that Solomon should have asked for this. ‘Since you have asked for this’ the Lord said ‘and not asked for long life for yourself or riches or the lives of your enemies, but have asked for a discerning judgement for yourself, here and now I do what you ask. I give you a heart wise and shrewd as none before you has had and none will have after you.’
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 118(119):57,72,76-77,127-130 |
Lord, how I love your law!
My part, I have resolved, O Lord,
is to obey your word.
The law from your mouth means more to me
than silver and gold.
Lord, how I love your law!
Let your love be ready to console me
by your promise to your servant.
Let your love come and I shall live
for your law is my delight.
Lord, how I love your law!
That is why I love your commands
more than finest gold,
why I rule my life by your precepts,
and hate false ways.
Lord, how I love your law!
Your will is wonderful indeed;
therefore I obey it.
The unfolding of your word gives light
and teaches the simple.
Lord, how I love your law!
Second reading | Romans 8:28-30 |
Those he called, he justified
We know that by turning everything to their good, God co-operates with all those who love him, with all those he has called according to his purpose. They are the ones he chose specially long ago and intended to become true images of his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest of many brothers. He called those he intended for this; those he called he justified, and with those he justified he shared his glory.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn15:15 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I call you friends, says the Lord,
because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father.
Alleluia!
Gospel |
Matthew 13:44-52 |
He sells everything he owns and buys the field
Jesus said to the crowds, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. This is how it will be at the end of time: the angels will appear and separate the wicked from the just to throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
‘Have you understood all this?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Well then, every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old.’
SEEKING THE OVERARCHING PURPOSE OF YOUR LIFE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 KGS 3:5, 7-12, ROM 8:28-30, MT 13:44-52 or MT 13:44-46]
How can one live life purposefully and meaningfully? This is possible only if one is aware of what they are called to do. Without a clear understanding of our purpose — of what we are meant to do — we cannot give our heart and soul to it. This is why many people live fragmented lives, pursuing one thing after another. They study to earn academic degrees; they accumulate more wealth; they seek power and glory; they look for happiness in sensual pleasures and entertainment. However, the truth for most of them is that their lives remain empty. They are neither satisfied nor content, and they do not find real happiness. This is why their hearts are always restless, constantly looking for something more.
This is not to say that it is wrong to acquire wealth or desire luxuries in life. However, these cannot be our primary goals. They are merely by-products of our actions and are secondary to our true happiness. As the Lord tells us in the Gospel, “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Mt 6:33). We also read the parable of the man who found the “hidden treasure in a field, he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.” In buying the field, he gains ownership not just of the hidden treasure, but of everything in that land.
King Solomon, in today’s First Reading, sets the example of having a clear purpose and goal. When “the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, ‘Ask what you would like me to give you,'” Solomon replied, “Lord, my God, you have made your servant king in succession to David my father. But I am a very young man, unskilled in leadership. Your servant finds himself in the midst of this people of yours that you have chosen, a people so many its numbers cannot be counted or reckoned. Give your servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil, for who could govern this people of yours that is so great?”
Solomon knew his priorities. He was humble and conscious of his limitations. He knew that the Lord had chosen him to continue the work of his father, King David, whom the Lord had appointed to build His kingdom. His mission was clear: to continue building the Kingdom of God in Israel and to establish God’s reign by ruling justly and wisely for the good of His people. He offered his entire life to this cause. Hence, he did not ask for a long life, riches, or power over his enemies; he asked only for a discerning heart.
Therefore, the Lord said, “I give you a heart wise and shrewd as none before you has had, and none will have after you.” Because Solomon ruled well and wisely, the kingdom prospered. There was peace, unity, progress, and prosperity. Thus, in asking for wisdom and discernment, all the other things that people desire — a long life, riches, and freedom from enemies were granted to him as well.
It is critical for each of us to seek our primary purpose or vocation. God has planted a vocation in our hearts. A vocation commands our entire mind, soul, and body — we give our entire being to this inner calling. Whatever we do or think — whether in prayer, work, relationships, or family life — we see all these aspects as contributing to our primary mission.
This is how I live my life. As Archbishop, my one and only purpose until my death is to help build a vibrant, evangelising, and missionary Church. Everything I do is directed toward realising this goal. Anything that does not serve this purpose is a distraction and is undeserving of my attention. Singularity of purpose is the key.
What is it that we would like to give our whole lives to so that we can live passionately and meaningfully? The parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl instruct us to seek something that makes life truly worth living. If what we find is genuine, life-giving, and enriching, it will consume our entire mind, soul, and strength. We know this is what the Lord asks of us when we find ourselves ready to pour all our energy and resources into it; otherwise, it cannot be considered the treasure and pearl of our lives. As the Lord said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Mt 6:21). The merchant who found the fine pearl “of great value… goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.” The man who found the hidden treasure “hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.”
Hence, it behooves every one of us to ask what God’s primary purpose is for us. This discovery can happen in two ways: through intentional searching or by the grace of God. In the parable, the man who found the hidden treasure was not searching for it intentionally; he stumbled upon it by chance. Similarly, some of us drift through life doing our daily tasks without much excitement or reflection — simply fulfilling duties and chores — until, out of the blue, an idea or opportunity appears. We see it, fall in love with it immediately, become enlightened, and stand ready to give up everything to pursue it.
On the other hand, we could also be like the merchant seeking fine pearls. Unlike the man who chanced upon the treasure, this merchant actively searched day after day. Therefore, we must also cooperate with God’s grace. We must do all we can to discover and discern God’s calling, sparing no effort so that we can give our heart, soul, and all we have to it. Only then, with singularity of purpose, mind, and heart, can our souls be at rest. This journey may sometimes lead us to situations where we thought the Lord wanted us to be, only to discover it was not our final destination.
However, we should not be discouraged. As St. Paul assures us, “We know that by turning everything to their good God co-operates with all those who love him, with all those that he has called according to his purpose. They are the ones he chose specially long ago and intended to become true images of his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest of many brothers.” God writes straight with crooked lines as long as we are sincere in doing His will and searching to fulfil our role in His kingdom. He will eventually help us clarify our true calling. This is what the parable of the dragnet reminds us: God will weave our diverse life experiences into a beautiful tapestry that reveals His beauty through us. He uses both our old and new experiences so that a greater good may emerge. As the Lord said of a good disciple, we must learn from both the past and the present: “Well, then, every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old.”
Nevertheless, there is a warning: finding our calling does not mean we will always remain secure. Complacency and negligence can set in along the way. If we are not disciplined and focused, and if we take things for granted, the Evil One will slowly lead us astray. This was the case with King Solomon. He started well as a young king, but as his kingdom grew prosperous, he forgot his primary calling to be the wise leader representing Yahweh, the true King of Israel. He failed to apply the wisdom and discernment he had been given to his own household. While he was a capable ruler, he managed his personal life poorly. By marrying foreign wives, he compromised his family life and unity. When one’s household or marriage is in disarray, it inevitably impairs their ability to carry out their work with singularity of purpose. We must remain alert, always using the gifts the Lord has given us wisely and faithfully.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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