"Seek Wisdom" by Colleen O’Sullivan
Wisdom breathes life into her children and admonishes those who seek her. He who loves her loves life; those who seek her will be embraced by the Lord. He who holds her fast inherits glory; wherever he dwells, the Lord bestows blessings. Those who serve her serve the Holy One; those who love her the Lord loves. (Sirach 4:11-14)
“There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us." (Mark 9:39b-40)
Piety
But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it. (James 1:5)
Study
Today’s readings are about Wisdom. The author of the first reading, Yeshua Ben Sira, a scribe who lived and taught in Jerusalem in the 2nd century B.C., tells us how to attain wisdom. Then, in the Gospel we see Jesus putting wisdom to work in his response to the disciples.
In the Book of Sirach, Wisdom is personified. Wisdom is inextricably linked with God, whom Ben Sira refers to as the “Holy One.” Wisdom is something desirable that we seek. Wisdom never comes running after us. If we never go looking for it, we aren’t likely to suddenly wake up one morning a wise person. When we have attained wisdom, we need to hold on to it. According to Ben Sira, observance of the Torah (the teaching or the Law) – loving, serving and obeying God – is at the heart of the pursuit of Wisdom. (David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha, p. 153) Finally, in this first reading, we are told to listen to and to trust what we hear when we attain Wisdom.
Wisdom isn’t just something we can find between the covers of a book. Wisdom is more often found over a lifetime of experiences. Maybe that’s why the people we call wise are generally older.
What does this have to do with you and me? As I follow the news and look around, I find myself wondering how many of us are even pursuing Wisdom. Or are we seeking other, more ephemeral things? Imagine someone taking a poll and asking responders, “What do you want more than anything?” How many of us in the world today would answer, “Wisdom?” How many more of us would show our hand, reveal that we’ve sold out to the world, and answer along the lines of “Win the next big Mega Millions or Powerball?”
Wisdom sometimes comes through living life, but only if we invite the Lord to sit with us and reflect with us on our experiences. That’s what takes the most time in prayer – listening for what Jesus has to say to us about the things that come our way, the good and the bad, and incorporating that into how we live and view life.
Action
In today’s Gospel, the disciples show their immaturity and lack of wisdom. They run across someone doing things in Jesus’ name and want Jesus to condemn that other person because he’s not “one of them.” Jesus knows that “us and them” is a concept unknown to God. Every human being who has ever lived has been invited into the circle of God’s friendship. No one who does something good in Jesus’ name could possibly be outside that circle.
Where in your life do you wish you possessed greater wisdom? In prayer, ask God for that gift.
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