Word to the Wise
Friday, November 17, 2023 - Friday in the 32th Week in Ordinary Time
[Wis 13:1-9 and Luke 17:26-37]All men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God, and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing him who is, and from studying the works did not discern the artisan....For if they so far succeeded in knowledge that they could speculate about the word, how did they not more quickly find its Lord? [Wisdom]
A visit to one of the great natural "wonders of the world" can be an awesome experience. The Grand Canyon in Arizona comes to mind right away for me. But a recent issue of National Geographic had a map insert entitled "Star Cradle," showing the formation of a star in one of the vast constellations - displaying a vastness that dwarfs the Grand Canyon! Yet, a microbiologist or molecular biologist can testify to a vast universe that exists in items that pass our notice. The Book of Wisdom (and St. Paul in Romans 1:19-23] points out that the grandeur of natural things has caused humans to worship those things rather than their creator. Somehow all these things "just happened!" The desire for God may be present but it is limited to what can be sensed or empirically verified by some measuring instrument.
In the middle (or periphery?) of all of this is the human person who has the capacity to have an idea of grandeur and a capacity for faith, hope and love. There is grandeur in this creation even if the human person is capable of destroying the very creation that provides grandeur, including one another. The Book of Wisdom calls us to consider the grandeur of God even if we have trouble experiencing it because of the violence we do to it. These are big thoughts and may seem a luxury to someone who is barely surviving. But we can lose hope if we drown in care and cease to have wonder. The great commandments of love of God and neighbor take us from the recognition of the love God has shown in creation which is, indeed, our neighbor. AMEN!