A Volley from the Canon, Number 100 The Pearl

A VOLLEY FROM THE CANON, NUMBER 100

“A PEARL OF GREAT VALUE”

Shamelessly adapted from a sermon by the Rt. Rev. Catherine Waynick
Camp Allen, Texas, June 3, 2011

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”
Matthew 13:44-46

We are familiar with this tiny parable, and we have heard the dominant explication of it many times. The Kingdom of Heaven, or our salvation, is the Pearl of Great Value. We are like the merchant, and we must be willing to give up all that we have in order to possess that treasure. There is nothing wrong with that. The treasure of our salvation is free, by God’s grace, yet it is costly beyond measure. We know that.

However, there is another way of looking at the parable (isn’t there always?). In this understanding, Jesus is describing the Kingdom economy itself, not our means of entering it. His purpose is expository, not didactic. HE is the merchant seeking fine pearls. And YOU are the Pearl of Great Value. Yes, you. He gave up all—for you.

We are Incarnation people, we Episcopalians. It is our favorite doctrine. Among Christians, we are friendliest to the world as God has created, sustained, and redeemed it. We are awed and appreciative of the fact that, in the Incarnation, Christ took our fleshly nature upon him and became one of us. He put aside Heaven, and divinity, and immortality. He suffered, on our behalf, discomforts, pain, and even death.

But “even,” (says Bishop Cate) “had Jesus died in his bed,” his sacrifice would have been astounding. He gave up Heaven for Earth. (“God so loved the world….”) For each one of us.

You think you have a face only a mother could love? Think again. You’re a pearl.