| A PEARL OF GREAT PRICE Laurence Freeman, OSB |
| Again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it. (Matthew 13:45) |
‘Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger’. This moment, in St John’s Gospel, occurs after a crowd that had been about to stone a woman to death dispersed and the woman is left alone with Jesus. Like other great teachers of the Spirit in all traditions, Jesus lived what he taught and taught by the example of his own behavior. And time and again we see him teaching by silence. On another occasion he transmitted his teaching to a rich young man who found it difficult to renounce his possessions, by a direct and loving gaze. And again there were times when, in the face of contradiction and hostility, he kept a pure and truthful silence. Compassionate presence, loving attention and truthful silence. These are still essential elements of the way we follow Jesus as our teacher and friend. He urged and empowered us to share in the work of teaching the good news. We are called to teach as our teacher teaches and to grow in relationship with him and likeness to him. The qualities of presence and silence are perennial truths of this journey. Of course, our individual personalities, like the culture that shapes us, makes each journey its own unique story. But the essential human quest, the challenges and the fruits of meditation, are the same for all at all times. |
| A PEARL OF GREAT PRICE |
| SHARING THE GIFT OF CHRISTIAN MEDITATION BY STARTING A GROUP |
| THE WORLD COMMUNITY FOR CHRISTIAN MEDITATION |
