The Pearl Sutra

When I think of
the Child at home,
my heart and soul
wax eloquent.
And so the words
"hidden life"
represent not just
a portion or phase
of the Savior's work,
but call up in me
a command
to be taken
as urgently
as the public life
which follows.
This call to
school in Nazareth
is such mitigating balm
to cover vengeful
vainglory,
to shatter those
delusions,
all in the Way
of the Tao
or Therese's "little way"
or Francis' street theatre.
But most of all,
it is the teaching
of the Child...
the way of
the little kingdom
spoken of as
the pearl
still being born
in the shell.

---

• Icons by Fr. William McNichols

• Information on obtaining Icons by Fr. William McNichols

---

This page is managed by Fr. Raymond A. Bucko, S.J. of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Creighton University. E-Mail: bucko@creighton.edu Page Last Updated: December 1, 2001

---