Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Liturgy has a great deal to pray over. I shall begin by saying that in the Collect we ask God to bestow His mercy on us in abundance. We also ask that with His guidance, we may "use the good things that pass in such a way as to hold fast..."  I guess we all need God to bestow His mercy on us at this time when the entire world is in such need of prayer.

In the second reading, Paul tells us that "all things work for good for those who love God..."

In the Gospel,  Matthew13:44-52) Jesus tells His disciples that 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...."

Jesus asks His disciples if they understand what He has said and they answer "yes". But do I really understand?