Word to the Wise
Saturday, September 25, 2010 - Saturday in the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
[Ecclesiastes 11:9 - 12:8 and Luke 9:43b-45]Rejoice, O young person, while you are young and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart, the vision of your eyes; yet understand that as regards all this God will bring you to judgment. Ward off grief from your heart and put away trouble from your presence, thought the dawn of youth is fleeting.
As one who has spent many years in pastoral ministry to college students, I can certainly identify with the advice that Ecclesiastes offers to youth! Although the passage seems at first glance to throw a chill on all the enjoyment by warning about God's judgment, I think it is part of growing up to learn responsibility and accountability along with ideals and desires (which are often the two biggest influences to young people). Many has been the time when I could only say to a student that a course of action they were inclined to take might bring them to some pain and sorrow, but the only way they would truly know is to try it. Wisdom does not lead to pain and sorrow. It follows. The inclination of older folks to say, "These young folks nowadays....." can reveal a loss of memory about one's own youth and the mistakes that come as a part of that time of life. I am very much aware of the spotty record I had of successful negotiation of the challenges. The learning process is still going on! In fact, I might change the word, "young," in the passage and insert whatever age one might have! It's not bad advice to tell even a senior citizen to "follow the ways of your heart, the vision of your eyes!" We older folks can learn that from youth. God's mercy will help us with the inevitable mistakes! AMEN
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