The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to reflect on the ancient and powerful connection of God to Wisdom and Nature.
The Reading from the Book of Wisdom declares Solomon Is Like All Others.
* [7:22b–23] The twenty-one (7 × 3) attributes of the spirit in Wisdom reflect the influence of contemporary philosophy, especially the Stoa, but the personification rests also on Prv 8:22–31 and Sir 24.
* [7:25–26] Five strong metaphors underline the origins and closeness of Wisdom with God. See the use of this language in Heb 1:3; Col 1:15. (Wisdom, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 119 praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for people to live by.
* [Psalm 119] This Psalm, the longest by far in the Psalter, praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for people to live by. The author glorifies and thanks God for the Torah, prays for protection from sinners enraged by others’ fidelity to the law, laments the cost of obedience, delights in the law’s consolations, begs for wisdom to understand the precepts, and asks for the rewards of keeping them. (Psalms, PSALM 119 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Luke proclaims the Coming of the Kingdom of God and 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.
* [17:21] Among you: the Greek preposition translated as among can also be translated as “within.” In the light of other statements in Luke’s gospel about the presence of the kingdom (see Lk 10:9, 11; 11:20) “among” is to be preferred. (Luke, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB, n.d.)
Barbara Dilly shares an understanding of what Jesus means when he says, “the Kingdom of God is among you.”
Faith calls me to demonstrate that certainty, to learn the Lord’s statutes and ordinances so that the revelation of the Lord’s words shed light through my life in ways that others can understand. Maybe that is why I chose to be a teacher, but I don’t think we have to be teachers to demonstrate how the Lord’s ordinances and revelation of the Lord’s words help us live out our faith. When we bear fruit in this way, we shed light on the truth of the Lord’s presence in our lives for others to see. This is how we can bear abundant fruits of our faith and can perpetuate the word of the Lord for the next age. Living in the Kingdom that is already with and within us is how we can best serve and praise God. (Dilly, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Don't pursue human glory,” by John Cassian (360-435 AD)
"If the devil has been driven out and sin no longer reigns, then the kingdom of God is established in us. As it is written in the Gospel, 'The kingdom of God does not come with observation, nor will they say, 'Lo here,' or 'Lo, there.' Truly I say to you that the kingdom of God is within you' (Luke 17:20-21). The only thing that can be 'within us' is knowledge or ignorance of the truth and the affection for righteousness or sin by which we prepare our hearts to be a kingdom of Christ or the devil. St. Paul described the nature of this kingdom in this way: 'For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit' (Romans 14:17). If the kingdom of God is within us and is righteousness, peace and joy, then someone that remains in these is surely within the kingdom of God. Someone that remains in unrighteousness, conflict and the melancholy that kills the life of the spirit is already a citizen of the devil's kingdom, of hell and of death. These are the signs whether it is God's kingdom or the devil's." (excerpt from CONFERENCE 1.13.5)
[John Cassian was an early 5th century church father who lived for several years with the monks in Bethlehem and Egypt before founding a monastery in southern Gaul.] (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Wisdom 7:22—8:1 comments that today’s first reading tells us something even more amazing: we were created for relationship with God! It tells us that divine Wisdom “penetrates and pervades all things,” and that when Wisdom passes into “holy souls,” it turns them into “friends of God”
Friendship with the almighty, eternal, all-powerful God of the universe: it sounds so hard to believe if you step back and think about it. But it’s real. It’s possible. And it’s available to you. So reach out and grasp the hand of the Lord today! Tell him you want to welcome his Wisdom, his Spirit, into your heart. You will never truly be alone!
“Lord God, pour out on me your Spirit of Wisdom. Teach me how to live as your friend.” (Meditation on Wisdom 7:22—8:1, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes that at the time the Wisdom passage was written God was believed to exist at the end of the universe sending out emanations including Lady Wisdom to people. The Hebrew numerology in the passage expresses attributes and infinite superlative Wisdom as the most pure emanation of who God is. In New Testament theology, the pre existing Jesus is in Wisdom. In the Gospel of Luke, the Kingdom is among us and we are not waiting for the end of time. Friar Jude reminds us of realized eschatology in Luke, that today salvation will visit and we look for signs in kindness, compassion, and goodness. Friar Jude advises us to be ready for the end, ours or that of the world.
Fr. Mike Schmitz reflects on the goodness and providence of God the Father, emphasizing how Jesus calls us to be shamelessly persistent in prayer. Fr. Mike also explains two difficult passages found in today's readings: what Jesus means when he tells the story of an unclean spirit who is cast out only to return, and what Jesus means when he says he comes not to bring peace but division. Today's readings are Luke 11-12 and Proverbs 26:7-9.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares his sense, after being a priest for over fifty years, that we would have done much better to help Christians discover their souls instead of “save” them. It’s there of course, but it seems to be dormant or disconnected. They aren’t aware of the inherent truth, goodness, and beauty shining through everything.
Such connection and presence is as freely available as the air we breathe and the water we drink. This is surely why John the Baptist moved his initiation rite out of the temple, away from the priestly purity codes (of which he was well aware), and down by the riverside in the wilderness. Jesus “submitted” to this off-beat ritual, which we now call baptism. Yet now baptismal ceremonies are most often held in church buildings, usually disconnected from anything natural except the water itself. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)
We invite the Spirit to open our understanding to the Presence of the Kingdom of God in our community and the gift of Nature.
References
Dilly, B. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved November 13, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-november-13-2025
Luke, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 13, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/17?20
Meditation on Wisdom 7:22—8:1. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved November 13, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/11/13/1428595/
Psalms, PSALM 119 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 13, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/119?89
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Sacramental Waters. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 13, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/sacramental-waters/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Coming of Christ's Kingdom. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 13, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/
Wisdom, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 13, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/wisdom/7?22
No comments:
Post a Comment