Catholics Called to Accept All Church Teaching on Faith & Morals-- Catholic Teaching & the Pearl of Great Price (Homily #92)

Catholics Called to Accept All Church Teaching on Faith & Morals:

Catholic Teaching & the Pearl of Great Price (Homily #92)

The movie, Lord of the Rings, is based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkein.  All the characters throughout this 6-hour movie are focused on one little-bitty ring.  Everything centers upon this one ring.  The ring consumes the characters, up until the end of their lives.  Nothing matters more than the little ring.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses a parable of a little pearl of great price.  This pearl is so precious that it is the only thing the business merchant cares about.  The pearl is the merchant’s priority in life.  Everything about the merchant’s choices revolves around the pearl of great price. 

But whether a ring from a movie, or the parable of the pearl of great price, the point is that everything about our lives should be focused on the Kingdom of God. 

So what is this pearl?  The pearl of great price is everything about person and teachings of Jesus that have come to us through His holy Catholic Church.  Her teachings are His own.  She is the Mystical Body of Christ on earth.  Like a marriage, the two are one flesh.  Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, said that one cannot talk about Jesus alone separately from the body of believers—the Church.

The Second Vatican Council, in its Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium taught that the Kingdom of God is the very person of Jesus Christ.  The Kingdom is his very person and his teachings.  Vatican II also taught that Kingdom of God is lived concretely in the person and teachings of the Bride of Christ, the Church.  In the mystery of the rosary, the Announcement of the Kingdom of God through parables and miracles is called the  3^rd Mystery of Light.  Thus, the pearl of great price is the great gift of our Christian faith.  Everything about our lives should be formed by the teachings of Christ and His Church.

In the First Reading from the First Book of Kings, it is written that when King Solomon asked God for a gift, Solomon could have chosen any worldly or material things.  But God was pleased that Solomon asked, “Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart, to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong” (1 Kgs. 3).  Solomon is known for the gift of wisdom, the highest of the gifts, and understanding.  These spiritual gifts were Solomon’s pearl of great price. 

When God asks us today what gifts we seek, our response should be like the Responsorial Psalm: “Lord, I love your commands.”  Psalm 119: “The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces.”  “Lord, I love your commands.”  “…your law is my delight.”  “Lord, I love your commands.”  “For in all your precepts I go forward; every false [action] I hate.”  “Lord, I love your commands.”  Here, God’s teachings, commands & laws should be our joyful pearl: “Wonderful are your decrees; therefore, I observe them.”

God’s law as proclaimed officially by the universal Church is protected from error.  The Church’s teachings are protected from error in both faith and morality.  Catholics are called to accept all the Church teachings as divinely revealed by God.  All that has been revealed by God through His Church are necessary for our salvation; that is to say, are necessary to go to Heaven.  The Church’s teachings on faith and morals are a great pearl, even when they sometimes appear to be difficult.

If there are areas of the Church’s teaching where we are having difficulty, let this Gospel be an opportunity of conversion back to the truth.  And here’s a saint to challenge us today, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, about sacrifices needed to love the pearl.  The great St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who was known to have experienced what mystical theology calls the “Dark Night of the Soul,” once said the following.  And I paraphrase this saintly woman of the poorest of the poor:

When one denies one essential teaching of the Church, it is not that one has most of the Faith, or part of the Faith, or even little Faith, but it is rather that one has no Faith.  [repeat?]  Mother Theresa is saying that if God through His Church is considered to be wrong on one little area, then one basically is saying that God through His Church could be wrong on other areas of faith & morals. 

To help us in our weakness, let us look at the Gospel acclamation for guidance, “Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; for you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.”  To accept all of the Church’s teaching (and in a sense, even the discipline of the Church in canon law), to accept the mysteries of the Kingdom which is the expensive pearl of great price, we should be humble like little children.  Little children who trustingly and lovingly and even joyfully do what their merciful Father asks of them.  They say, “Lord, I love your commands.”   

As we profess our faith in the Creed with our lips in a few moments, let us ponder the pearl that is our Faith.  May the pearl of the Sacraments, like the Eucharist, Confession, Matrimony, Baptism & Confirmation, help us.  With Mary as the Mother of this community, let us love her Son who is Himself the Pearl of Great Price.   “Again, 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.”