Pearl of Great Price

Life is a precious gift from God that needs to be handled with great care, otherwise it easily can be shattered by sin. When God gives us this gift, we have a choice: We can follow God’s way so that life can grow more beautiful and radiate God’s love upon everyone and everything in our lives—or not.

God knows that taking care of this gift is not easy especially when left to our own resources. That is why the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us. What an incredible act of love—to be born, to grow, to work, to live, and to die for us to show the way, the truth, and the life that leads to God’s Heavenly Kingdom!

During this season of Lent, let us remember: “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.” [Matthew 13:45-46] Are we searching for that great pearl? Are we willing to give up our own way of life to follow God’s way to obtain this great pearl—to reach the Kingdom of Heaven? That is truly worth pondering.

We may think our Lord’s way of life is too difficult. We may think we do not have the time or energy to focus on God and to do His will in our daily living. More likely than not, we have the time and energy to achieve what we most desire even if it means making sacrifices. The question is—what do we most desire? Do we only desire what is tangible and provides instant gratification? Or, are we constantly searching for something better, but we are not sure what that something is?

Perhaps, that something is our desire to have a closer relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  However, our desire to live a holy life may be clouded by our fears and anxieties which tend to overwhelm us, causing us to look for the quick fix that provides only temporary relief. Let us look to Mary, our Blessed Mother, for guidance and support. Certainly, Mary had good reason to be fearful and anxious in her lifetime, but fear never severed her unity with the Holy Trinity. Where would we be if fear stopped Mary from being God’s chosen mother of Jesus Christ our Savior? What would have happened if Mary closed her heart, mind, and soul to the Holy Spirit?

The gates of Heaven are open to us if we, like Mary, put ourselves in God’s hands. He knows our needs better than we know ourselves and God will fulfill those needs. When we open our hearts, minds, and souls to God, we are filled with His presence in our life, our work, our marriage, our singleness, and in the most ordinary ways. Any fear, anxiety, envy, jealousy, resentment will no longer be forces in our lives. Instead, our acts of love, thanksgiving, sacrifices, and offerings will become continuous as we live less for ourselves and more for God.

When we make room for God’s grace in our lives, nothing is impossible. Like Mary, God’s love will radiate through us in every chore, every duty, and every act of our daily living.  Our faith and hope in the eternal will become more alive as we experience the greatness of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. With that faith, hope, and love, we have the foundation to live life the way God wants us to live, raising us higher and higher in holiness and drawing us closer to Heaven. Truly, we will discover that the pearl is well worth the search and its great price.