 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. |
