Readings: Wisdom 7:7-11; Psalm 90; Hebrews 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30
In the brief excerpt from the book of Wisdom this Sunday, wisdom is referred to in the feminine gender. This is particularly significant in that the Bible, both the Jewish scriptures and the Christian scriptures, came from patriarchal societies. What a wonderful concept, Wisdom personified as a woman who is wise. Sophia, who brings, a graceful touch, a healing presence, to her every encounter, for whom beauty is a mode of knowing and openness, a special strength – who tells us, “all will be well, all will be well, all matter of things will be well.”
We are encouraged to seek the holy woman, Wisdom with the promise that “she is readily perceived by those who love her.” Furthermore we are told that whoever watches for her at the dawn – will not be disappointed, she will make herself known. When we find ourselves perplexed by problems and the decisions we face in our lives, we can go out and find her waiting at our gate. Even when we are not actively seeking her, she seeks those worthy of her and she will appear to us on the way. As one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, wisdom is given to the Christian in order to sustain us and to make us docile and more open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. As an attribute of God, wisdom is one attribute that shows the image of God in the feminine.
King Solomon is known for his wisdom, but he was not born with wisdom, wisdom was something he prayed for. Wisdom is not something one is born with; it is something he sought. Solomon was intelligent enough to pray for wisdom, the one thing that would serve him well as sovereign and through which all other good things would be given besides. Some may equate intelligence with wisdom, but wisdom is truly beyond the intellect. Wisdom resides in the heart, the seat of our conscious and subconscious the place accessed by the Spirit. It is the Spirit that leads us to all wisdom if we but open ourselves to it. This is what happens when we pray for Holy Wisdom; we open our hearts to the Spirit. I believe that God will always give us what we ask for when what we ask for is in accordance with God’s will. What parent would want more for their child than wisdom?
Do we seek wisdom for ourselves? Do we desire to act and make wise choices based on justice, love, and compassion? Acting with wisdom may mean that we act in ways that serves the greater good rather than our own self-interest or short-term goals. Serving the greater good may mean that we put the needs of the vulnerable ahead of the wants of the comfortable. This may disturb the comfortable in order that the disturbed may be comforted. Jesus acted with wisdom when he placed the needs of the crippled, blind, and sick ahead of Mishnah, the “oral law.” This disturbed the orthodox Jews of Jesus’ time who believed in strict observance of the Sabbath rest. Jesus’ response was, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27) Where do we see this kind of blind application of the law today? Does our literal adherence to “law and order” allow us to neglect the vulnerable with a clouded conscience?
The rich man who queries Jesus on what he must do to inherit eternal life is saddened to find out that he needs to share his wealth with the poor. Are we like this man who seek security in our possessions? If maintaining our present standard of living requires that others may need to go without, then why would we believe that we would be able to live in a future reality where everything is shared in common? If God has been generous with us then why would we not be generous with others? Would it not be wise to practice generosity now to live forever with the source of all things?
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