For many centuries, tradition passed down that the Book of Wisdom was written by King Solomon, a ruler admired in ancient Israel for his wisdom. However, most biblical scholars today believe that this Book was not written by Solomon, but probably written originally in Greek in the ancient center of learning in Alexandria, Egypt a couple of centuries before Christ’s birth, many centuries after the era of King Solomon. Today’s reading tells us that wisdom is received by all who love her, that she is found by all who seek her. The book of Wisdom states that if we watch for wisdom at dawn, she will be waiting for us at the gate. Indeed, we human beings innately yearn for wisdom in the same way we yearn for a connection with the divine. We are searching for wisdom just as we are searching for God. Likewise, wisdom and God are searching for us.
A wise person would not wait for some undefined time in the future to forge a relationship with Jesus. Some who claim to be Christians put other things first in their lives instead of their faith. They take a risk, just like the foolish virgins in the Gospel. That can have dire consequences. The truly wise person builds his life on Jesus and his Gospel, on Jesus as the truth and the life, not just for the future, but in the here and now, in the reality of our daily lives.
So, if we are saying that wisdom goes beyond a book knowledge, beyond what we perceive intellectually, we can see wisdom as a resonance, as an understanding of God’s teachings, laws, and values. Wisdom leads us to integrate God and his teachings into daily life. While book learning and knowledge are important in our development as human beings and in our spiritual quest, they are certainly not everything. God can reach out to us and wisdom can connect with us in many diverse and eclectic ways: through music, art, poetry, literature, and nature; through prayer, contemplation, and even silence. So, meeting Wisdom at the gates means that we are to find ways to gain this understanding, this experience, this integration of God into our spirituality and into our lives.
That is why I try to promote different faith opportunities and learning opportunities here in our Catholic community. It is important for you to read the Word among us and to read the Bible. It is important for us to read spiritual books. It is important for you to pray with your friends and to pray the rosary and to learn the different Catholic devotional prayers. It is important for us in the context of our faith to discuss the real life situations and experiences we have had, to come to terms with them and to see where our faith intersects with them. Although knowledge and book learning are important, it is just not always about the doctrine and dogma of our faith, but rather the wisdom we have learned along the way on our journey.
Connecting with the divine wisdom, connecting with God, is not always easy and comfortable. In our search of wisdom, we will have great joys and great struggles. And all of this is an essential part of our journey. All of this will help us be like the wise maidens, to be prepared and to be ready to meet the Lord when he comes.
No comments:
Post a Comment