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Today's the Day

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.”

I have a dear friend, Tony, who is into commercial real estate and back in the 70’s he bought a hotel in Key West called the “Key Wester”.

When he first went down there to take a look at the buildings and see what kind of upkeep was going to be needed, he discovered a small shack in the back, kind of like a garage. To his surprise there was someone living there!

The man appeared to be “a drunk” [sic] and the place was “a mess”. Tony asked him what his name was and he said Mel Fisher. So he told the man. Look you can live here as long as you keep the place clean.

A couple weeks later when Tony went back to check on the guy the place was even messier than before. So he said “This place is a wreck, you’re outta here!” But Mel begged and pleaded… Mel said I’ll tell you a secret. I’m a treasure hunter and I’ve come across gold and silver and “Today’s the Day” I’m going to find the Treasure.

He said to Tony: “If you let me stay here rent free I’ll give you a percentage of the findings…” To which Tony looked at him with disgust and kicked him out.

Now there was a reason Mel was homeless. He had left his job, sold everything he had: his home, his car, everything to invest it in scuba diving and treasure hunting.

He was bound and determined that he was going to find The Atocha.

The Atocha was a sunken spanish ship that sank somewhere near the keys in 1622 and was rumoured to be the most valuable shipwreck ever.

After nearly four decades of searching, the tragic loss of his wife, son, and another worker when one of their boats sank due to a malfunction in the bilge pump. Mel continued to say “Today’s the day.”

He would say that phrase every single and some people thought he really believed it too!

Then the day came. On July 20, 1985, exactly 10 years to the day of the death of his wife, son and friend… he got a radio call from his other son: “Put away the charts. We’ve got the ‘Mother Lode’!”

And they did find the treasure! They found the sunken ship, the Atocha, with all of it’s “thousands of artifacts, silver coins, gold coins, many in near mint condition, period and earlier amazing Spanish objects and wares, exquisite jewelry set with precious stones, gold chains, a variety of armaments and even seeds (which later sprouted!) were recovered.”

It totalled over $400 million.

Now, my friend Tony still considers this one of his greatest regrets. But Tony, himself, has discovered a greater treasure.

In the Gospel today we hear Jesus tell 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.

If you are sitting in this Church, it is because you have a very good idea of where the Treasure is or you wouldn’t be here.

The Treasure, in just a few moments, will be right here on this altar.

The question is: Are you invested in it? Are you willing to joyfully sell everything you have… give up everything that would keep you from being here… sell it all in order to receive the Greatest Treasure the universe has to offer?

The Eucharist is more valuable than any sunken treasure. It is more valuable than a percentage of $400 million or even $400 million itself.

Few people realize the value of this Treasure.

In the Eucharist we receive the King of Kings, the Prince of Princes, the Savior of the World. We receive eternal life, union with God… we actually receive God into us.

But it’s going to take everything to “buy this field and to recover this treasure.”

Do you realize that your heart is on a Treasure Hunt and the only Treasure that will ever fulfill it is none other than the Eucharist?

You know where the treasure lies… are you willing to invest everything in it and for it?

As Mel Fisher said and believed: “Today’s the Day”!

Today is the day you get to Receive the greatest treasure of all in the Eucharist!

Today’s the Day!

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