Word to the Wise
Thursday, November 11, 2021 - Thursday in the 32th Week in Ordinary Time
[Wis 7:22b—8:1 and Luke 17:20-25]For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion, and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity. For she is an aura of the might of God and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nought that is sullied enters into her. For she is the refulgence of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness. And she, who is one, can do all things, and renews everything while herself perduring; and passing into holy souls from age to age, she produces friends of God and prophets. For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with wisdom. [Wisdom]
NOVEMBER 11 ST. MARTIN OF TOURS
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I was once invited to speak to a class of third-graders about "wisdom." Coming in with my adult superiority I figured I would see if the word "wisdom" meant anything to the children. I asked, "Who can tell me what wisdom is?" A forest of hands went up. I picked one kid in the front row and asked, "What is wisdom?" He piped up: "Knowledge gained from experience!" That took the wind out of my sails! For, as the beautiful hymn to wisdom in the first scripture for today says, Wisdom is all-pervading.
Christian tradition associates wisdom with the Holy Spirit. The Greek word is sophia and it is feminine! The Gospel According to John speaks of the Spirit leading us into all truth. {John 16;13] The Gospel According to Luke quotes Jesus as saying "Wisdom is vindicated by all her children."
My pastoral experience has taught me that wisdom has a way of getting into one's life without one even knowing it. Some experiences have called on me to make very quick pastoral decisions and afterward, reflecting on how I managed to respond to the needs productively, I could only say that the Spirit of Wisdom was there when I needed it. Sometimes it comes in the form of knowing what are the right questions to ask a student stymied or overwhelmed by their circumstances. The way forward seems impossible to discern. By asking the right questions, the student comes to realize that the wisdom needed for the way forward is already in him or her but her voice is drowned out by very unwise alternatives.
Can we be "friends of God and prophets?" That will depend on our desire for Wisdom and our willingness to create an environment within ourselves and with others where the voice of Wisdom may be heard. That voice can come from a friend or a page in a book, or something inside or an experience or even from a third-grader. What is most encouraging is that it is available to all of us who are willing to listen in faith. AMEN