Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46
“I am the Grace of God, my little children; therefore hear and understand me, for my admonition makes radiant the souls of those who do. I keep them in blessedness, so that they will not return to iniquity. And because they have not despised me, I choose to touch them with my admonition so that they will do good works; those, that is, who seek me in simplicity and purity of heart.
So I admonish and exhort humanity, and grant it pearls of goodness; when a person’s mind is touched by me, I am his beginning. That is to say when a person understands my admonition with his sense of hearing, and his senses consent to my touching his mind, I initiate good in him. And it is needful that he begin thus, with me helping him. Then a struggle follows: Will my gift attain its end or not? How?
Understand thus. When I admonish a person, so that he begins to lament and weep for his sins, then if his will consents to my admonition-for he will feel the change in his mind, and according to his mind’s desire he will raise his eyes to see and his ears to hear and his mouth to speak and his hands to touch and his feet to walk-his mind will raise itself to conquer his senses, so that they will learn things their habits could not teach them.”
Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) in Scivias (Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1990) 428-429.
This week our readings on what is needful for living simply, giving sacrificially, serving humbly, and loving generously come from Hildegard of Bingen’s classic work Scivias, contraction of the Latin phrase “Scito vias Domini,” which literally translates to “Know the Ways of the Lord.”
And I changed out the header photo. The last time I was walking my son’s dogs by Bear Creek it was so peaceful and the reflection the water was a mirror image of the sky. I hope you like the photo and that it fills your heart with the peace of Christ.
Turning our attention today’s reading, I am captivated by Hildegard’s vision of how the Lord works graciously in our lives. He grants us pearls of goodness – little beautiful insights to raise our awareness to our sins to nudge us to righteousness living. Will we respond?
Her use of the word ‘pearl’ took me to Today’s Scripture. The bloke in the story responded! He sold everything and bought the pearl. He was all in! That’s what the grace of God beckons us to be. But the Spirit does not work by force, but by giving us pearls of goodness, like whispers on a calm day.
What is God whispering to you related to living simply, giving sacrificially, serving humbly, and loving generously? If we get these four things right, our lives reflect the ways of the Lord. Sit with God for a few minutes, ask for a pearl of goodness and be “all in” in your response to God.