The Pearl of Great Price
In this Sunday’s readings we are asked to stop and to just imagine the enormity of the gift of God’s special love for each of us - that God wants for all of us who choose life to spend eternity with Him. In our first reading, David is asked to name whatever he wants from God. He asks for an understanding heart to judge others rightly and for the ability to distinguish right from wrong. This response is free from selfishness and pleases God and God notes that David has not asked for temporal wealth or victory over enemies, but simply to have a good heart oriented towards God and what is good.
In my recent stay at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, to complete requirements for a degree in Christian Spirituality, we were studying how to develop a discerning heart that perceives the movement of God within our lives. There was a lot of background activity as there is with each of our lives. The College World Series was played in town and the University of California team was immediately adopted as Omaha’s favorite, because they stuck together and believed in their program and with some alumni rescued the University’s baseball program from being closed due to budget concerns. Another background drama was weather concerns with thunderstorm warnings, tornado watches, weather that on one day of my stay went to a humid 105 degrees and above all the flooding of the Missouri River. That last factor had the daily news announcing that volunteers could fill sandbags at different sites throughout the area; two nuclear power plants were shut down, businesses and entire towns flooded. Yet the priority at Creighton’ Christian Spirituality Program was to learn to develop a discerning heart and to help others do the same.
At times it seemed that perhaps our priorities should be to help the flood victims and to develop the discerning heart later. I believe this is a common mistake made by many of us who are well intentioned. The priority we are exhorted to adopt for our lives is right relationship with God. This will enable us to respond fully both to our needs and the needs of those around us rather than to respond without reference. Just as the CAL team persevered because of relationships and common purpose, so we can persevere in life if we understand that with God we can face any adversity. We are on God’s team. To understand this is the first step to understanding that right relationship with God is indeed the pearl of great price. This can be understood by each of us by seeking to develop a discerning heart.
Glad to Be Home at St. Brendan’s!!
Fr. Mike
