Trust Factor

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary bring to mind a reflection which is as traditional as the pillars of faith, hope and charity and borders on a reversal of normative thinking as we consider the role of Wisdom portrayed in the Hebrew Testament with a feminine personification. Friar Jude Winkler sees Jesus become Wisdom Incarnate through His Word and action in the Bread of Life Discourse in the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John. The Acts of the Apostles today tells us that the disciples (Friar Jude specifies them as Greek speakers) are violently forced out of the Temple and Jerusalem. The particular witness of Philip to deep trust and faith in God was his journey to Samaria, where the Holy Spirit drew the “half-Jews” of that region, who were not received well by Jews in Judea, to the hope for healing and relationship with God which the Hellenist witnessed to them. The popular social media, perhaps surprisingly, will place some text from or about Mother Teresa into the information cloud. The wisdom of this woman who witnessed to charity is quoted today by the Living with Christ site as “We want to create hope for the person... we must give hope... always hope”. Academic pursuit of Lady Wisdom as a course outline provided for students taking a Certificate in Feminist Theology will bring the student to Proverbs 9:1-12 where Lady Wisdom is inviting seekers to “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.6 Lay aside immaturity,* and live,and walk in the way of insight.’(Proverbs 9:5-6). John shows Jesus inviting us to begin our experience of heavenly eternal life in the Resurrection which is Jesus today.Our trust or faith that the path of our lives, even if it takes us to a Samaritan environment, is part of the Wisdom of God and our role to bring hope to others through charity will be given Life through our relationship with the One, who invites us to eat and drink so that we might live in Him now.