By Donna Keane
The “twelve gates” symbolize the knowledge of truth and good seen as a whole, which introduce us into the church. The “twelve pearls” also symbolize the knowledge of truth and good seen as a whole. This is why the gates were pearls. “Each of the gates was of one pearl” because all the knowledge of truth and good, which is symbolized by gates and pearls, relate to one piece of knowledge that contains them: the knowledge of the Lord (from Matthew 13:44–46, and Apocalypse Revealed §916).
Here is a very short but very beautiful parable that illustrates in a striking manner one of the essential truths of the Kingdom and its coming in human hearts. A merchant of pearls; some pearls; a pearl of great price. It is enough, for in these three portrayals an admirable lesson is given to us. Who among us has never seen a fine pearl? Its beauty, splendor, and worth seduces us at once. The spiritual truth of this parable is not only placed in the form, beauty, and richness of the pearl, but also in the manner with which it is fashioned by the oyster—that well-known mollusk which is so prized by many gourmets.
The oyster passes its life closely attached to a rock located near the coast. It withstands the tides of the sea twice a day—an existence that at first may seem monotonous. However that may be, this mollusk possesses an infallible instinct that correctly indicates to it the moment when the waves approach with its nourishment. When this happens, the oyster opens the powerful muscles that command its two strong jaws, and it lets the food enter.
This system is very practical and is very satisfactory in theory, but not always in practice, because one day something else besides food enters: a big or little grain of sand penetrates, and lodges between the two jaws. This grain of sand wounds the oyster and does it harm. The oyster struggles against this undesirable guest; and around this grain of sand slowly, patiently, it builds… a pearl.
The oyster secretes nacre, which little-by-little surrounds the grain of sand and covers the sharp parts that continue to wound the oyster. It becomes something round, brilliant; something that doesn’t hurt the oyster any longer. The grain of sand becomes something shining and beautiful, attracting attention—something rare and full of value: a fine pearl.
Now, let us think what applies to us in this parable. Do we not have in our lives one or more grains of sand? One day there may enter into our lives something that irritates us! It may be an emotional deception or a misunderstanding in our family or with friends, or maybe a time of emptiness— perhaps from sickness, perhaps from an ambition that is not realized, perhaps from surroundings that are not suitable and that we must bear for a time, perhaps from old age and its infirmities—perhaps many other things. Isn’t it necessary then to have a lot of patience, many prayers, great faith, and a lot of love to get through these times? We must hold fast to the rock, manufacture our own brand of nacre, and make a pearl!
And if the Lord has put in the oyster what is necessary to form the nacre and to be able to struggle against what does harm, let us be sure that he has equally put in human beings that which we use to form a protective envelope that little by little will serve as a shelter through many trials and temptations.
To form our nacre, to form our pearl is to regenerate. It is to apply in our lives the successive truths that the Lord gives us to know through his revelation. To form the nacre is to put into practice a truth that is learned, understood and recognized; that permits us in turn to learn, understand, and apply new truth to our life, and so forth. Strata by strata the nacre is formed; strata by strata the new human being is formed.
To form the nacre, to form the pearl, is to read the Word of God and meditate on it each day, to pray to be able to understand it, and to draw on its indispensable truths for our education—not for reputation or personal glory, for that would be to build a false pearl (Tom DeLay).
The pearl’s size depends on the size of the grain of sand. The larger the grain, the larger the pearl. And the larger the pearl, the more precious and beautiful it is. This means that in this world and the conditions of life we have been given, no true faith, no shining love can blossom without trials, without temptations, without periodically calling into question the conditions of our lives. The more we can endure the big temptations, and the more we permit the Lord to overcome them in us, the more magnificent the pearl will be!
Thus, it is that all the pearls, all the truths, all the spiritual knowledge accumulated in our life, we direct one day to find the pearl of great price. The pearl of pearls, the mother of all pearls, the greatest pearl of all—the truth of truths—the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the only living God, incarnate and Glorified Lord.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant who looks for some beautiful pearls. He found a pearl of great price; and he went to sell all that he had and bought it.”
Let us follow, today and tomorrow, the merchant’s example, and find what he found.
Oh God of all the earth, we have searched land and sea for great riches, for great wealth. We are discovering that neither wealth nor the search for it gives us any lasting satisfaction, let alone joy and peace. And so, Lord, turn our minds and hearts to the discovery of the pearl of great price that exists not in this world, but in your divine being. And when we have found you, may it be with joy that we sell all we have, that we let go of all our attachments to worldly wealth and fame, and center our entire life on your spiritual wisdom. Then, rich or poor, or in-between, we hold in our hands the one Pearl that will give us lasting joy and delight.
Read the full issue of the September / October 2024 Messenger
Meet Donna Keane
Rev. Dr. Donna Keane is the pastor of the Elmwood New Church in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts.