The WORD in other words (2017) by Father Sonny de Rivera SVD – Rome, Italy
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time – A
On February 12, 2005, Sister Dorothy Stang was on her way to meet poor farmers in Brazil who were under harassment from illegal loggers and ranchers. For more than three decades, she tirelessly defended the poor and landless, confronting ruthless landowners who sought to dominate the Amazon rainforest. That day, two hired assassins shot her six times, leaving her lifeless on the dirt road.
Her martyrdom reminds us of the three aspects of God’s Kingdom highlighted in today’s Gospel parables:
- Recognizing the Kingdom’s ultimate value (Matthew 13:44)
- Responding with total commitment (Matthew 13:45–46)
- The possibility of rejecting the gift of eternal life (Matthew 13:47–48)
The Kingdom of God is desirable and precious, and those who find it must be willing to sacrifice everything to obtain it.
Sister Dorothy began her ministry in the Amazon among the oppressed and victimized, whose land and livelihood were stolen. For her, the heart of Brazil’s Amazon and its rightful people were so precious that she was ready to sacrifice everything. She embodied the parable of the treasure hidden in the field, giving her life for the sake of God’s justice.
Jesus Himself is the Kingdom of God. Heaven is nothing more than a relationship with Him. The disciples asked: “When is the Kingdom coming? How will we recognize it?” (Luke 17:20–21). Jesus’ parables show that people may find the Kingdom by chance, by diligent search, or by careful discernment.
Two things are needed to recognize the Kingdom:
- Wisdom to know its surpassing worth when it appears
- Boldness to stake everything on it
Sister Dorothy gave us hints on how to establish God’s Kingdom around us: “Share everything. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours.” These simple words reflect the Gospel’s call to justice, stewardship, and love.
The coming of God’s reign is personal. It is about God’s passionate desire for us, and it involves our own desires and choices. Sister Dorothy wrote: “I just want to sink myself into God… I look at Jesus carrying the cross, and I ask for the strength to carry the suffering of the people and then be a creative influence in society from which a more human society can be born.”
Her life and death remind us that the Kingdom is not abstract—it is lived in concrete acts of justice, mercy, and love.
The parables ask us: Do we recognize the surpassing worth of the Kingdom? Are we bold enough to stake everything on it? Sister Dorothy’s witness shows us that when we do, even in the face of violence and death, the Kingdom of God shines forth with hope and life.
