Pearl of Great Price

Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” Matthew 13:44-52 (NRSV)

Pearl of Great Price

This treasure that we seek
not made in a safe soft place
begins as a grain of sand
irritating inside the shell.

A fine sheen of fluid spent
our blood and crippling tears
day by day and year by year
become beautiful and priceless.

Love is one grain at a time
spinning and dancing
always making trouble
hoping to be more than life.

Treasure in relationship formed
molded by endless days
life together molded, changed
into magnificence unending.