The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of the decisions made with Wisdom that bring us fullness of life.
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| Life on a beach |
The reading from the Book of Isaiah has God in the first person bemoaning that “O that you had paid attention to my commandments.”
O that you had paid attention to my commandments!1
Psalm 1 contrasts with striking similes the destiny of the good and the wicked.
* [Psalm 1] A preface to the whole Book of Psalms, contrasting with striking similes the destiny of the good and the wicked. The Psalm views life as activity, as choosing either the good or the bad. Each “way” brings its inevitable consequences. The wise through their good actions will experience rootedness and life, and the wicked, rootlessness and death.2
In the Gospel from Matthew, the Evangelist declares Wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.
* [11:16–19] See Lk 7:31–35. The meaning of the parable (Mt 11:16–17) and its explanation (Mt 11:18–19b) is much disputed. A plausible view is that the children of the parable are two groups, one of which proposes different entertainments to the other that will not agree with either proposal. The first represents John, Jesus, and their disciples; the second those who reject John for his asceticism and Jesus for his table association with those despised by the religiously observant. Mt 11:19c (her works) forms an inclusion with Mt 11:2 (“the works of the Messiah”). The original form of the saying is better preserved in Lk 7:35 “…wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” There John and Jesus are the children of Wisdom; here the works of Jesus the Messiah are those of divine Wisdom, of which he is the embodiment. Some important textual witnesses, however, have essentially the same reading as in Luke.3
Ronald Fussell comments that in so many cases, the truth of the lesson makes us uncomfortable. When he reflects on today’s passage from the Gospel of Matthew, he is reminded of uncomfortable truth. In this passage, Jesus shares his observations of the crowds and how quickly they rejected the truth because of an insincere critique of the teacher. It was easier to dismiss John’s truths because John lived a life of austerity. Conversely, the truth of the path to salvation was set aside because Jesus was so public with his encounters with sinners and tax collectors. The truth is not always easy to hear, and it is human nature to find reasons to reject the lesson.
In today’s culture and contemporary society, it is not hard to find examples of how we similarly reject the hard truth. Whether it be with the current sex abuse crisis that is tightening its icy grip on the Church and its faithful, or with the intense misunderstandings that arise about the Church’s position about divisive social issues, it becomes all too easy dismiss our faith in favor of the very same brand of ignorance about which Jesus speaks in today’s Gospel. Such behavior leads us down a treacherous road that imperils our very souls.Our faith journey is organic and dynamic. It varies from person to person, and we bring our collective experience to bear when we confront the challenges of accepting the hard truth. For me, today’s psalm reveals answers about how we prepare ourselves to be more accepting of those hard lessons:4
He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade (Ps 1:3).
Don Schwager asks “What can make us spiritually dull and slow to hear God's voice?”
Like the generation of Jesus' time, our age is marked by indifference and contempt, especially in regards to the things of heaven. Indifference dulls our ears to God's voice and to the good news of the Gospel. Only the humble of heart can find joy and favor in God's sight. Is you life in tune with Jesus' message of hope and salvation? And do you know the joy and blessing of believing and obeying God's word?
"Lord Jesus, open my ears to hear the good news of your kingdom and set my heart free to love and serve you joyfully. May nothing keep me from following you wholeheartedly."5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Isaiah 48:17-19 asserts if God is your teacher, then Scripture is the first and best textbook he uses. This book is a compendium of his wisdom, knowledge, and laws. It is a literary expression of faith lived out. And it is a testament of a restored relationship with him through the cross. In every aspect of faith and morals, it is never wrong. What’s more, because it’s inspired by the Holy Spirit, Scripture is a living word that God uses to speak directly and personally to our hearts.
So read it. Stop when you feel your heart stirring with hope or longing. Stop when a question forms in your mind, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you find the answer. Let the teachings of the Church guide you when you are confused. Pay attention to thoughts that form as you read; they may be coming from the Lord. When something seems too good to be true, reread it—hundreds of times, if necessary, until you are convinced of God’s goodness. Believe that God can spark understanding and direction for your life through a single verse.6
Friar Jude Winkler connects the redemption of the Exiles in Babylon to our rescue by Jesus. God can’t force us to love Him. Friar Jude reminds us that the Word of God often comes to us through unexpected people and events.
The Franciscan Media reflection on Saint Lucy praises the moral courage of the young Sicilian martyr that shines forth as a guiding light, just as bright for today’s youth as it was in A.D. 304.
One can easily imagine what a young Christian woman had to contend with in pagan Sicily in the year 300. If you have trouble imagining, just glance at today’s pleasure-at-all-costs world and the barriers it presents against leading a good Christian life.7
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares that both Christianity and the Twelve Steps believe that our sins and failures are the setting for transformation and enlightenment. Grace isn’t a gift for getting it right but for getting it wrong! But as any good therapist will tell you, you cannot heal what you do not acknowledge; and what you do not consciously acknowledge will remain in control of you from within, harming you and those around you, particularly those you love. Both Bill Wilson and Thomas Keating understood the essential role that humility plays in the process of transformation.
[Humility] is a great subject because it is the most fundamental religious disposition. It undergirds the stages of the spiritual journey. It gets deeper as we go along. Humiliation is the way to humility. So you have to go through the fifth step. . . . You lose the sense of shame and you gain more and more inner freedom. The point may come when you actually love your weaknesses and faults because they keep you humble. The feelings of shame and humiliation give way to a loving acceptance of the truth and a complete trust in God’s infinite mercy. . . . We’re not asking anybody to think that we are good, because now we see that whatever good we have comes from God. We don’t deny that we have this basic goodness, but we acknowledge that we have made a mess of our lives . . . and that God is healing us. Instead of grieving because of our sins, we realize that God has used them for our great benefit.8
Wisdom offers the guidance to seek openness and have gratitude for humility as steps to being planted by the stream of full life.
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