Pearls of Great Price

It's really amazing how Jesus has the power to transform our lives. I had always wondered what the "pearl of great price" meant and for me, it is the realization of God's creative breath coursing through our veins. It is Jesus' life that we receive in the Eucharist, in the Church body, in the priest's inspired homily acting as the Head of the Body of Christ and in The Word or Holy Scripture that is inspired by God. It is in our domestic church's, our homes. It is in every interaction.

Some days I can feel this powerful, transforming power in the world around me and other times it comes from deep within on Jesus' signature written on my heart. For me, I can sometimes feel this "pearl" when I'm lost in the moment, when I'm listening to great music, writing a piece of poetry and not really knowing where the words are coming from, or when I capture a great shot with my camera, or when the sun just shines a certain way through the fall leaves or when the forceful wind blows them to the ground to meet their demise. It all seems to be part of a cycle--a creative cycle, nature's cycle, life's cycle. Circles within circles.

Jesus' death was such a self-giving act, so that we can have more life because of it. What I have found lately, is that my encountering his passion, death and resurrection through the Mass is True Life lain upon the altar. This Truth is what I have to base all other truths on. We remember him best by way of the Cross present above our altar. I suppose it is the crosses in our lives which make the biggest impact and the joys that much more sweet or bittersweet.

Sometimes the pearls are found deep within the closets we're trying to clean out.