July 26, 2026
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 | Romans 8:28-30 | Matthew 13:44-52
Today’s Gospel reading leads us to the Kingdom of God, likened to the hidden treasure and the pearl. When these were found, the man or merchant sold everything in order to possess the treasure. The parable of the net gives us a glimpse of how we will be judged at the end of time: the angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous. Those who chose what is wrong will be thrown into the blazing fire, where there will be deep sorrow and the gnashing of teeth. The Gospel is very direct and clear about how we should live our lives.
St. Matthew points us toward the end times. However, we are to live daily in conformity to God’s image and likeness. God leads us to himself. Are we choosing God? God chose us in the first place. When Jesus left this world, he did not leave us alone. He left the Holy Spirit to abide with us. One of the Spirit’s gifts is discernment. In the Catholic tradition, St. Ignatius of Loyola teaches us discernment whereby “Seeking God in all things” is to recognize God’s presence in daily life so we may follow God’s will.
When life is nourished with silence, prayer, and openness to the Holy Spirit, then one can listen and see God’s hand. Solomon’s only request is the gift of discernment to lead his people. Mary, the mother of Jesus, learned to treasure and ponder all things in her heart (Luke 2:19). She listened and sought God’s will, even at the foot of the Cross.
Many parents like Mary and her parents, Saints Anne and Joachim — whose feast day we traditionally celebrate today — chose to remain at God’s side, seeking God in the mysteries of life they lived during their earthly journey. Today, we honor our parents, all parents and all parental figures who struggle to feed, educate, protect and provide security for their children and families, even in the midst of war, violence, racism, poverty, deportation and death.
Last year, I met Señora Maria, who was referred to me by a friend to help transport some of my things to storage for safekeeping. On our last trip, as she was driving the truck, I learned that she is an undocumented migrant. In her family, only one member — an 18‑year‑old born in the United States — has legal status; the rest are undocumented. I was taken aback when she asked whether I still wanted her services now that I knew her situation. I immediately turned to her, gently patting her shoulder, and said, “You are exactly the kind of person I want to help. I’m grateful to have met you.” She smiled, reassured, knowing that I would continue to trust her. And I did again this year.
As we continued our conversation, I asked whether she felt insecure driving around El Paso, afraid of being caught by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She replied, “You know, Hermana Esperanza, I always trust God with my life. I feel safe, and God will protect us as a family because of our faith.” How can I dismiss her answer when God is already on her side? How can God not be with her in every situation? Romans 8:31 says, “If God is with us, who can be against us?”
The readings offer many points to ponder and call us to return to God. Today, as we celebrate National Parents’ Day and the feast day of Saints Anne and Joachim, let’s pray that all parents be like them. Sts. Anne and Joachim also lamented, grieved and begged God for a child. Their faith was rewarded: from barrenness, Anne conceived Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
Let us continue to choose God every day. We cannot do this if we are disconnected from God. God is not artificial intelligence (AI), God is real. From generation to generation, God hears our prayers. How can God refuse us? If God is our choice, then God will be with us today and at the end of time.
Maryknoll Sister Esperanza Principio is co-coordinator of the Maryknoll Monarch Initiative, a collaborative project of the Maryknoll Sisters and Maryknoll Lay Missioners based in El Paso, Texas. Launched in 2025, the project offers online, hybrid and in-person education and training on care for creation, migration and nonviolence. Sister Principio, who entered religious life in her home country of the Philippines, has also served in Panama and Peru.
To read other Scripture reflections published by the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, click here.
Featured image: Maryknoll Sister Esperanza Principio and Maryknoll Lay Missioners Maria Corazón Angeles and Heidi Cerneka (left to right) attend a march in El Paso, Texas, where they serve, to call for the end of mass deportations and to mourn the deaths of people who were killed by ICE agents or died in detention. (Courtesy of Esperanza Principio/U.S.)
