In Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” As His fame spread, Jesus wanted to know how people perceived Him. Were they open to His message and mission? The people of that region were pagans and perhaps less biased toward His teaching. After hearing the disciples’ answer, Jesus asked them directly: “But who do you say that I am?” Their first response revealed no clear consensus; most people saw Him as one of the prophets, or even as John the Baptist.

Today, we hear in the Gospel of the Canaanite woman who begged Jesus to help her daughter, tormented by evil. Though she was not a Jew and felt her unworthiness, she persisted in her plea: “Even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters’ table.” In her, we see humility, faith, and gratitude—qualities rewarded when Jesus healed her daughter. Do we have the same faith and persistence as the Canaanite woman?

This Sunday's readings present three different encounters with God. Elijah meets the Lord on Mount Horeb, the mountain of God. St. Paul, in his Letter to the Romans, encounters the Lord Jesus in the depths of his conscience. And the Apostle Peter, in his characteristic boldness, meets Jesus walking on the waters. Three different people, three different encounters with God. As we reflect on these stories, we are invited to examine our own personal encounter with the living God.

The multiplication of bread is the only miracle story found in all four Gospels. Here, Jesus feeds 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. The people are delighted by a deed they had never seen from their leaders. Yet, once their hunger is satisfied and their awe fades, they forget the true meaning of the event. Jesus teaches us to look beyond the surface, to reflect more deeply, and to discover the real treasure of life: Jesus in the midst of His people. “What is essential is invisible to the eye... The essential things in life are seen not with the eyes, but with the heart.”

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price are similar. The Parable of the Dragnet, however, is like last Sunday’s parable of the Weeds and the Wheat.

The first reading recalls King Solomon’s dream, when the Lord asked the young king what he wanted. Solomon’s answer reveals his character and what mattered most to him: a wise and understanding heart. He asked for this so that he could serve the Lord and the people of his kingdom well. This wisdom is the treasure of King Solomon’s heart, the hidden treasure, and the pearl of great price.

In the Gospel, Jesus delivers the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds, along with the Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven. He explains that God allows evil and good to coexist in the world to protect genuine believers, warning that ultimate judgment and separation will happen at the end of the age.

Why did Jesus not speak plainly and instead speak to them in parables? The Lord explains that parables served a dual purpose: 1. To reveal truth to receptive listeners – Those who were genuinely seeking God could reflect on the stories, ask questions, and gain deeper spiritual insight. 2. To conceal truth from those who were resistant – People who had already hardened themselves against his message would hear the stories but miss their deeper meaning.

There is one simple but profound truth in the Gospel: we can come to Jesus with our burdens because He has already come to us first.

God takes the initiative. The reading from the Book of Zechariah emphasizes that God reaches out to His people before they seek Him. The New Testament connects this with Jesus' coming into the world, showing that salvation begins with God's love and mercy rather than human effort.