The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to ponder our relationship with the natural world as evidence of the Presence of God in our life journey.
The Reading from the Book of Wisdom teaches about NATURE and WORSHIP.
* [13:1–9] The author holds a relatively benign view of the efforts of the philosophers to come to know God from various natural phenomena. This is not a question of proving the existence of God in scholastic style. The author thinks that the beauty and might of the world should have pointed by analogy (v. 5) to the Maker. Instead, those “in ignorance of God” remained fixed on the elements (v. 2, three named, along with the stars). His Greek counterparts are not totally blameless; they should have gone further and acknowledged the creator of nature’s wonders (vv. 4–5). Cf. Rom 1:18–23; Acts 17:27–28.
* [13:1] One who is: this follows the Greek translation of the sacred name for God in Hebrew; cf. Ex 3:14.
* [13:2] Governors: the sun and moon (cf. Gn 1:16).
* [13:6] The blame is less: the greater blame is incurred by those mentioned in v. 10; 15:14–16. (Wisdom, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 19 declares the heavenly elements of the world bespeak the power and wisdom of their creator.
* [Psalm 19] The heavenly elements of the world, now beautifully arranged, bespeak the power and wisdom of their creator (Ps 19:2–7). The creator’s wisdom is available to human beings in the law (Ps 19:8–11), toward which the psalmist prays to be open (Ps 19:12–14). The themes of light and speech unify the poem.
* [19:4] No speech, no words: the regular functioning of the heavens and the alternation of day and night inform human beings without words of the creator’s power and wisdom.
* [19:5] The sun: in other religious literature the sun is a judge and lawgiver since it sees all in its daily course; Ps 19:5b–7 form a transition to the law in Ps 19:8–11. The six synonyms for God’s revelation (Ps 19:8–11) are applied to the sun in comparable literature. (Psalms, PSALM 19 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Luke proclaims the Day of the Son of Man.
* [17:20–37] To the question of the Pharisees about the time of the coming of God’s kingdom, Jesus replies that the kingdom is among you (Lk 17:20–21). The emphasis has thus been shifted from an imminent observable coming of the kingdom to something that is already present in Jesus’ preaching and healing ministry. Luke has also appended further traditional sayings of Jesus about the unpredictable suddenness of the day of the Son of Man, and assures his readers that in spite of the delay of that day (Lk 12:45), it will bring judgment unexpectedly on those who do not continue to be vigilant.
* [17:36] The inclusion of Lk 17:36, “There will be two men in the field; one will be taken, the other left behind,” in some Western manuscripts appears to be a scribal assimilation to Mt 24:40. (Luke, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB, n.d.)
Gladyce Janky comments that Jesus seems to repeat the warning against putting “stuff” ahead of God.
My takeaway from the readings is two-fold. First, meditating on the meadow or being in nature removes distractions so I can focus on the magnificence of creation (the heavens declare the glory of God), which then becomes an entry point for discovering what God is like. Observing the intricacies of how nature sustains all living things teaches me that God loves life. God has a preference for life in all its forms, shapes, sizes, and colors, continually creating new life. Secondly, Jesus teaches where to place my priorities. My life and everything and everyone in it is a gift. Praising God for the gifts I receive is appropriate, while also heeding the caution offered in the Book of Wisdom: do not be distracted by what is seen (creation). Remain centered on what is unseen God.
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmaments proclaim his handiwork.(Janky, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Those working in the field are sowing the Word of God,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.
"'He that will be on the housetop, do not let him go down. He that will be in the field, do not let him turn back.' How may I understand what is the field unless Jesus himself teaches me? He says, 'No one putting his hand to the plough (plow) and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God' (Luke 9:62). The lazy person sits in the farmhouse, but the industrious person plants in the field. The weak are at the fireplace, but the strong are at the plough. The smell of a field is good, because the smell of Jacob is the smell of a full field (Genesis 27:27). A field is full of flowers. It is full of different fruits. Plough your field if you want to be sent to the kingdom of God. Let your field flower, fruitful with good rewards. Let there be a fruitful vine on the sides of your house and young olive plants around your table (Psalm 127:3). Already aware of its fertility, let your soul, sown with the Word of God and tilled by spiritual farming, say to Christ, 'Come, my brother, let us go out into the field' (Song of Solomon 7:11). Let him reply, 'I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my vintage of myrrh' (Song of Solomon 5:1). What is better than the vintage of faith, by which the fruit of the resurrection is stored and the spring of eternal rejoicing is watered?" (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 8.43.27) (Janky, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Wisdom 13:1-9 invites us to explore the wonder and beauty of creation. We ask the Holy Spirit to help us perceive the wonder and beauty of the One who made it.
Let the power and immensity of the crashing ocean waves take your breath away. Marvel at the intricate design of a single flower. Hike in the woods, and rejoice in all the plants and animals that live there. Be inspired by the amazing colors in a sunset. And if you are not able to go outdoors, close your eyes, and imagine a beautiful seascape or landscape. Or maybe watch a nature program. Whatever you do, stand in awe of the Lord, and let the beauty of his creation draw you closer to him, the Creator.
“Almighty God, I praise you for your beauty and grandeur, which are imprinted on everything you have made!” (Meditation on Wisdom 13:1-9, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes that early passage in this chapter indicates that Wisdom comes and visits and teaches but today Wisdom addresses idolatry in the elemental spirit and in animals. They worshipped creatures not the Creator. God was not recognized as the Creator of all. Our idols today may include comfort, food, Internet, and entertainment. We should worship the Creator and not objects. Luke presents an apocalyptic view of the end times as with two in the field one is taken and one is left. Luke typically presents a man and woman example. Some interpret this passage as “rapture” with some taken up for a 1000 period before the end. Friar Jude notes the destruction cited by Luke may be connected to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. Luke’s "vulture" may reflect the Roman “eagle” carried by soldiers destroying Jerusalem.
Fr. Mike Schmitz confronts the hard truth Jesus preaches in today's readings: Many people will ultimately choose hell over heaven. While this can be deeply distressing, Fr. Mike reminds us to focus on Jesus's directive to each one of us: "[You] Strive to enter through the narrow gate." In the second part of today's commentary, Fr. Mike reflects on two of Jesus' most well-known parables: the parable of the Lost Sheep and the parable of the Prodigal Son. Today's readings are Luke 13-16 and Proverbs 26:10-12.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Spiritual writer Chelsea Steinauer-Scudder who describes the almost universal experience of transcendence in the natural world. We encounter the sacred by paying attention to the life around us and the ground beneath our feet.
Which is to say: whatever we believe (or don’t) about God and gods, about holy texts and pilgrimages, all of us hold within ourselves the potential to be pinned in place by a sacred pole. And in this time when there is so much disconnect from the living world, so much separation, in this time of razed forests, deserted pockets of warmed oceans, and the echoes of extinct species, orienting ourselves around these fixed points becomes more crucial than ever. (Rohr, n.d.)
We are familiar with an apocalyptic view of the end times and invite the Spirit to assist our connection to Nature and Divine Presence in our daily experience.
References
Janky, G. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-november-14-2025
Luke, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/17?26
Meditation on Wisdom 13:1-9. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/11/14/1429278/
Psalms, PSALM 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/19?2
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Sacred Places. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/sacred-places/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). One Will Be Taken and the Other Left. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/
Wisdom, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/wisdom/13?1
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