Word to the Wise
Wednesday, November 13, 2019 - Wednesday in the 32th Week in Ordinary Time
[Titus 3:1-7 and Luke 17:11-19]Hear, O kings, and understand; learn, you magistrates of the earth's expanse! Hearken, you who are in power over the multitude and lord it over throngs of peoples! Because authority was given you by the Lord and sovereignty by the Most HIgh, who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels. Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly, and did not keep the law, nor walk according to the will of God, terribly and swiftly shall he come against you, because judgment is stern for the exalted......[Wisdom]
NOVEMBER 13 ST. FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI
Oh my!!! Be sure to read the whole passage from Wisdom today! Then have an imaginary discussion with Isaiah or Jeremiah or any of the prophets in the Old Testament. When they said things like these words from the Book of Wisdom to ruling authorities, it cost them dearly! It might be interesting simply to tweet or broadcast the message of Wisdom to any political or religious authority in existence today! What is it about POWER that makes someone forget about the wisdom of accountability and cling to power (real or imagined) like a drowning person?
The challenge of power is not just political. It can be personal. It enters into the most intimate relationships as well as parish administration. Abuse of power can cloaked in grand theological theories about how a legitimate authority can be exercised in a terribly brutal fashion. This is all the more terrible when the authority in question is religious and claims to be acting in the name of God! It is bad enough when such abuse claims the authority of patriotism, as did Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950's.
Having read the words of the Book of Wisdom, one could be tempted to point the finger at any abusively dictatorial figure we know, We would not have to look far for examples. But, we might ask ourselves, too, what power WE possess in regard to anyone else and how do WE exercise it? We don't have to be a "prince" to be powerful. The Book of Wisdom speaks to all of us when today's passage concludes: "Desire therefore my words; long for them and you shall be instructed." AMEN