Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
Homily by Fr. Myroslav Vons on the Third Sunday after Pentecost
June 13, 2026
No one can force a person to believe or to go to church. If our heart is filled only with the chase for power, fame, or money, the words of Christ will feel empty. But if we are like the man who found a treasure in a field and sold everything to buy that field — if we are ready to seek the Kingdom with perseverance — then we will receive far more than we expect.
“Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Mt 6:33)
When I was a child, I once lost something very precious to me — a special gift from my parents. I searched for it everywhere, but I couldn’t find it. I felt disappointed, angry at myself, and completely discouraged. And then my mum came. She helped me look for it, and I still remember how she quietly prayed to Saint Anthony while we searched.
That memory has stayed with me all my life. Because the word “to seek” carries a deep meaning. We don’t look for things we don’t care about. We don’t miss what has no value for us. We seek only what our heart is attached to.
That’s why today’s Gospel — about the eye and the light, about the birds of the air, about worries and possessions — may seem like a mix of different ideas. But Jesus is very clear: in life, we are always searching for something. And very often, we search for the wrong things.
We look for power so we can feel important. We chase success, spending the most precious thing we have — our time. We run after fame and possessions, and when things don’t work out, we push even harder.
All of this is a kind of searching — but it doesn’t lead to peace. So the Lord reminds us: yes, we must seek. But not wealth, not fame, not power. We must seek the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is not only a future reality. It begins here and now, in the heart of anyone who welcomes Christ as their Saviour. The salvation He brings is already the presence of God’s Kingdom among us.
What does it mean today to “seek the Kingdom of God”? It means asking ourselves each day: Do my actions, my words, my prayers bring me closer to God? Seeking the Kingdom is not a one‑time decision. It’s a daily movement of the heart, a steady journey toward God.
Where do we find the Kingdom of God today? First of all — in sincere, daily prayer. In coming to Sunday Mass with an open heart. In regularly receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Holy Communion. In reading the Scriptures and other spiritual books. And in every decision we make, when we choose God’s will over our own advantage — there we find the Kingdom of God.
Does this mean we should stop caring about everyday needs? Of course not. God knows we need food, clothing, work, money, and security for our families. Jesus never denies the importance of these things. He simply warns us not to place them first. Because when material things become the centre of our life, we lose our inner peace. But when God is first, everything else becomes a blessing.
When Jesus says, “All these things will be given to you as well,” He isn’t promising riches or an easy life. He is promising that God never abandons those who trust in Him. He cares for us more than we can understand.
The Kingdom of God is already given to us in Jesus Christ, but God never forces it on us. We are free: to live with God and for God — or to live only for ourselves.
No one can force a person to believe or to go to church. If our heart is filled only with the chase for power, fame, or money, the words of Christ will feel empty. But if we are like the man who found a treasure in a field and sold everything to buy that field — if we are ready to seek the Kingdom with perseverance — then we will receive far more than we expect.
That is why Jesus says not “receive,” but “seek.” Because faith is not just a gift — it is a journey, a movement toward eternal life.
Every day is a new chance to let God work in our lives and to open our hearts to His Kingdom. Let us pray to our Ukrainian martyrs and saints, that their example may strengthen us. Let us ask our Heavenly Mother — Our Lady of Perpetual Help — to stay close to us in the hardest and the easiest moments of our lives. Amen.
