Wisdom in Paradox

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary offer wisdom in the form of short proclamations which point to challenges for those seeking holiness. The story of Job “a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil” (Job 1:8) surprises us when he is severely tested by tragedy and he responds in his grief with praise for God who both brings and takes away. The root of this wisdom is a relationship with the Divine which has broadened the understanding of Job to experience life beyond the temporal and finite. The awe invoked as we consider our own history and ponder the why of our existence invites trust in the Creator which transcends time and tragedy.  The Wisdom which Jesus offers in the Gospel of Luke is especially evident in the lives of those who have begun to live in the time of less struggle to get ahead known by Franciscan theologian, Richard Rohr, as the ‘second half of life’. The time when we lose visibility to the world where “first half” people are struggling to succeed and are offered humility, insignificance, meditation and selflessness as daily experiences is a special opportunity to grow in relationship to God and people from a position where we need not be the first priority. The community of people of the earth are more alike than different. Those who share our aspirations for love, peace, goodwill and blessed lives for our children and grandchildren are much more prevalent than those who do not share these values. We are encouraged by Jesus to bias ourselves to the positive in people. The fruit of inclusion and acceptance is attraction to love.