TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YR C
Wis 9:13-18b; Ps 90
Phlm 9-10,12-17; Lk 14:25-33
THE WISDOM OF GOD
The book of Wisdom was written to an audience on the edge of despair living as minority in Alexandria. They were a people torn between their religious traditions and Greek culture in which they lived.
Our first reading today, is part of the prayer of Solomon asking for God’s Wisdom. The whole of Chapter 9 is a prayer of Solomon’s request for wisdom. The portion for our reflection today (Wis 9:13-18) gives us some insight into what the scriptures say about God’s wisdom.
The reading begins with rhetorical questions to bring out the contrast between the greatness of God’s wisdom and man. The question of how a man can know God’s wisdom on his own has been lingering throughout scripture. (For example, read Isaiah 40:13-14)
These rhetorical questions are meant to open up reflection on the wisdom of God.
Solomon noted that no matter how hard we try, our pursuit of Wisdom without God is useless. This is because he is the source of true wisdom.
Throughout history, man has sought to find what the good life is and how to live it through philosophy and knowledge of various kinds. To this extent we can consider this as worldly wisdom. Philosophy and science in all forms are worldly wisdom. When we decide on what is good or bad by own standards and understanding, we are operating on the level of worldly wisdom. People have at times resorted to science to discover the world and sadly to “displace” God and his action in the universe. But over and over again science leads people to God.
The wisdom of the world today, seems to thrive on what pleases everybody even when it is harmful in the long run. Today gender and identity ideologies dominate discussions. Many seek to ignore the biological facts of our nature in order to indulge in promiscuity and sin. We are being told that people can merely identify as a gender, other than what he/she is biologically, and he/she should be accepted as such when even the bones in our bodies are gender specific. A direct rejection of the word of God which says, “he made them male and female blessed them and called them man (mankind).”(Gen 5:2). There is also the homosexual agenda pushed by the forces of the world on all people and even upon the church.
Many today see only the instances of sin in the Bible in order to excuse their promiscuous behaviour. In their effort to appear knowledgeable about the word of God, they reveal their lack of understanding of the Bible and the message it carries. The Bible as the word of God can never spur us on to sin and evil. Every evil act in the Bible is an indication of what behaviour to avoid.
Worldly wisdom is limited to the physical, sensual and logical. Even on this level, we have difficulty in dealing with issues. Humanity without God is confused and useless. Worldly wisdom promotes unhealthy competition, domination and retaliation which leads to jealousy, hatred and sin.
Without the help of God’s wisdom, life becomes frustrating, stressful, depressing and burdensome. This is because we cannot navigate this world on our own. We must get the manual from the creator himself. Solomon recognises man’s helplessness and limitation in trying to navigate this world on our own terms. Our efforts no matter how far reaching is still short sighted in the eyes of God. How many times have we not thought that we were intelligent and powerful enough to exist without God.
Divine wisdom cannot be attained by one’s excellence but by the Holy Spirit through revelation. It is a gift that one receives through prayer. Solomon says, “indeed, though one be perfect among mortals, if wisdom, who comes from you is lacking, that one counts for nothing.” (Wis 9:6)
Two things can be observed from this quotation; First, the acceptance that human wisdom apart from God’s wisdom accounts for nothing.
Secondly, there is a characterization of wisdom as a person.” …if wisdom WHO comes from you…” in the wisdom writings of the Jewish scriptures, wisdom has always been personified. Wisdom by which God created and arranged the universe is indeed a person. Jesus is the Wisdom of God.
Paul noted that “but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24). Jesus frees us from the bondage of the wisdom of this world. He saves us from the fear of abandonment and rejection of the world. He saves us from the stress and frustration that is a result of our attempt to live according to our own rules (wisdom). He brings us peace. Regardless of who you are, Jesus is given as a gift to you, so that in him you may find newness and respite.
May we open our hearts fully to receive Jesus and his teachings so that we may live our lives in peace and in the certainty of God’s love over us.
May the Holy Spirit help you.
BY Rev. Fr. Delight Arnold Carbonu
