 To
Be Truly Wise
Many of us have favorite traditional prayers. One that I say
every day, especially before making important decisions, is the prayer "Come,
Holy Spirit."
It begins, "Come, Holy Spirit and fill the hearts of your faithful and
kindle in them the fire of your love..." and concludes, "Grant that by the same
Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation." Our Lord God,
in his Word today, teaches us how to be truly wise and to rejoice in his
consolation.
In the course of a week, think about the daily decisions and
judgments you must make for yourself and for those who turn to you. Some involve
the routine situations of everyday life, others are concerned with professional
and family matters, and there are some that deal with critical situations that
will have lasting impact. I am sure all of you can immediately identify with a
specific issue weighing on your mind at this particular moment. As we seek to
respond appropriately we must, according to our First Reading, "avoid all
foolishness" and, instead, be "truly wise."
Our First Reading is from the Book of Proverbs, and it is a
collection of sayings that seek to provide the people of Israel with the
guidance they needed to deal with their questions regarding the circumstances of
human life. The sayings emphasize that the foolish see only that which is in
front of them, but the "wise" see through the eyes of faith. The foolish react,
the wise respond. The foolish have as their goal immediate results; the wise are
focused on the things that are above. The foolish handle situations by
themselves; the wise depend on the strength that comes from God, the Source of
all Wisdom.
Think for a moment about the decisions you must make and the
challenging situations you must face. The eyes of faith will remind you that God
has a divine plan and purpose for each one of us. Thus we cannot simply react.
We must take the time to be still in his presence so that we may hear Him
speaking to our hearts and thus be able to respond appropriately. We are
motivated not by what we gain here and now, but by the values and truths that
outlast all time. And we humbly acknowledge that alone we can do nothing, but
with God all things are possible. Imagine the peace, serenity and confidence we
will discover if face the decisions and situations of life avoiding the ways of
the foolish. Lord God, teach us how to be truly wise!
In the midst of handling the struggles and crosses of everyday
life, Our God teaches us today how to rejoice in his consolation. He speaks to
us today not only through the sayings of Proverbs but through his Son, Jesus
Christ, who says in the Gospel, "I am the bread that came down from heaven and
whoever eats this bread will live forever." It is in the Eucharist that we
celebrate the victory of Jesus over darkness, sin, suffering and anything this
world presents, even death itself. No wonder our beloved Pope John Paul II, in
his Letter on the Eucharist, called us to a deeper reverence and appreciation
for this precious gift, which provides us, he said, "with the strength, support
and consolation we need."
As you come forward today to receive the Body and Blood of
Christ, present to Jesus any cross or burden that may be weighing upon you with
the conviction that we share in his victory and the belief in his power to heal
and save.
As we go forth this week, there will be decisions to be made
and challenges to handle. But we go forth strengthened in Word and Sacrament and
ever dependent on the abiding love of God our Father and the divine assistance
of his Son, Jesus Christ. Thus, with renewed faith we pray, "Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your
love...Grant that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in
his consolation." Amen. |
