The Pearl of Great Price

This summer I had an opportunity to volunteer at the Martyrs’ Shrine in Midland, Ontario. The Shrine is a holy site honouring the lives of the Canadian martyrs. It’s consecrated to the memory of six French Jesuit martyrs and two lay persons from the mission of Sainte-Marie among the Hurons who were martyred on various dates in the mid-17th century and subsequently canonized by the Catholic Church.

This group experienced red martyrdom, the most traditional form, which involved a violent death or severe persecution. They paid a high price and shed their blood for the sake of Christ, the King of martyrs.

The majority of Christians today don’t experience red martyrdom; instead, we experience white martyrdom. The latter is a form of spiritual devotion and sacrifice that doesn’t involve physical death or violence, but rather a daily death to self through acts of self-denial, perseverance in faith, and fulfillment of one’s duties with a spirit of service. It’s a daily Cross of faithfulness in small things, to endure hardships, and strive for holiness in ordinary life.

The first two weeks of summer were a challenge for me, as I adjusted to my new routine, as I made time for work, prayer and rest. I worked as a volunteer, mainly at the gift shop and the main gate ushering guests in. We had morning Mass daily at 7:45 am and then we reported to our work stations to serve the pilgrims. Given my new schedule, I had to wake up an hour earlier than usual to pray. During the day, I would find short periods of time to pray other devotions as well. For example, while serving at the gate, I prayed the rosary during off-peak intervals. If I waited until the end of the day, it would mean I was too tired to engage in any quality time with the Lord. I avoided giving him my ‘leftovers’ – the last hours of the day before retiring to bed.

As I journeyed throughout my summer, this scripture came to mind:

“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)

This daily time with the Lord was precious to me, like a fine pearl in this parable. The Lord drew me to sacrifice my sleep and time to spend quality time with him in prayer. I knew that in order to cultivate a relationship with Jesus, I had to offer daily acts of sacrifice for his sake and his Kingdom. To ensure my loving connection with Jesus, my Beloved, I knew that I needed to maintain constant communication. People chat and text, just to find out how the other is getting on. In any loving relationship, communication acts as glue that holds the relationship together, fostering understanding, trust and intimacy. I recall sharing my heart with the Lord in prayer about my struggle. I sensed him saying to me that if he was the priority, I would find time for him, even in the busyness. I responded by deciding to sacrifice and restructure my rest time. For instance, I would allocate twenty minutes of my one-hour lunch break to do spiritual reading or the rosary. In the evenings, I took some time to pray for the needs of others and the wider body of Christ.

A loving, fruitful relationship with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, is priceless. No worldly treasures can compare to it. It’s for this reason that the martyrs were willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of Christ and the salvation of souls. The martyrs inspired me to ask for the grace of self-denial to have a richer communion with the Lord in daily rhythms of life. To be more Christ-like, the Lord has been helping me in these three aspects: my surrender to God, freedom from sin, and my spiritual growth. I still struggle on a daily basis to surrender and trust in Jesus Christ. However, as I grow in my relationship with Jesus, the Holy Spirit is ever present in my struggles, and moments of joy, thus making my burdens lighter, and my life more meaningful.

As our spiritual father, Fr. Bob Bedard, CC, once said, “Salvation is free, but discipleship is costly.”

I also learnt that Jesus is the pearl, and we are called to be his disciples. Just as the merchant sold all he had, discipleship may require sacrifices and a reordering of our priorities. Jesus paid the ultimate price by dying on the Cross for our salvation – all humanity, myself included. We are all invited to enter into a loving relationship with the One who gave up his life for love of us. I found myself drawn closer to the Lord through this small offering of my time, for my Lord, the one who loves me beyond all measure.

This prayer has been on my heart, and I invite you to give God permission to meet you in your everyday life: “Lord, teach me to love like you do: the way of sacrifice, and draw me into daily communion and union with you. Amen.”

Image used with permission: Deposit Photos 174541510 Pearl in open shell on beach