Word to the Wise
Friday, September 1, 2006 - 21st Friday in Ordinary Time
[1 Corinthians 1:17-25 and Matthew 25:1-13]For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
The Corinthian Christian community which Paul founded was a rather diverse group of people. Paul writes to them in reaction to their inquiries and in reaction to certain reports he has received from others. There were divisions in the community, with people lining up behind various leaders (read the passage just before the one for today). Paul challenges them to rise above petty human allegiances and reminds them of the tremendous challenge that belief in the gospel brings. He has experienced the entire range of those challenges: rejected by Jews who "demand signs" but who really just aren't interested, and by Gentiles who create religions of their own rational designs. He then reminds the Corinthians of the power of the message which is no less than the strength of God: the message of the cross. We are all called to the task of evangelization, to bearing witness to Jesus Christ. Pope Paul VI issued a magnificent reflection (Evangelii nuntiandi) on the task of evangelization back in 1975. It remains the guiding light of the task. He reminds us that we must constantly re-evangelize ourselves and demonstrate by our lives and words the power of the message of Christ. I want to quote a passage from that document: #26 It may be useful at this stage to make it clear that evangelizing means above all else bearing witness simply and clearly to God as he is revealed by Our Lord Jesus Christ, proclaiming that he has loved the world n his Son and that in the Incarnate Word he has given existence to all creatures and has called men to eternal life. This witness concerning God will perhaps to many be the announcement of an unknown God, a being whom they adore although they are unable to identify him or whom they are impelled to seek by some secret instinct of their hearts when they have realized the futility of their idols. We are all called to proclaim an exciting Good News and not tired platitudes that are slogans of various interest groups! Helping others understand the futility of their idols may mean that we recognize how we have created some of our own. AMEN
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