ONE WHO IS NOT AGAINST US IS FOR US


WEDNESDAY, SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Eccl 4:12-22; Ps 119:165,168,171-172,174-175; Mk 9:38-40

The Dividends of following Wisdom

Sirach uses the feminine pronoun for the created wisdom. He already informed us that his referent is the wisdom seen in all God’s creation. Since we have been following his consideration of the created wisdom of God that is supposed to lead and guide man back to God, we consider this wisdom with which God created the material universe as the light he made first and separated from darkness. The light refers to every intelligible form of material creatures. Sirach confirms this understanding in the opening verses: “The Lord himself created wisdom; he saw her and apportioned her, he poured her out upon all his works.” The created wisdom visible in everything God made is rightly considered with feminine gender to distinguish her from the uncreated wisdom, the Eternal Word of God. As we stated yesterday, the ever-present wisdom in creation is the first tutor of the human mind in the knowledge of God the Creator. Since she is present everywhere in creation and present in every creature, she is accessible to everyone, but not everyone can be born of her since not everyone seeks God. “Wisdom brings up her own sons, and cares for those who seek her. Whoever loves her loves life, those who wait on her early will be filled with happiness.” A predilection for wisdom predestines one for life.

 Walking with wisdom requires a good upbringing and careful nature and nurture. The thorough breeding those who follow her receive is what Sirach means by saying she raises her sons. Nature contributes to the birth of a wise man, for there must be a certain equanimity in the one who would successfully follow her. We do not exclude the possibility of those born without this quality from acquiring it through discipline and training. “Those who serve her minister to the Holy One, and the Lord loves those who love her. Whoever obeys her judges aright, and whoever pays attention to her dwells secure. If he trusts himself to her, he will inherit her, and his descendants will remain in possession of her.” Thus, what one acquires through tedious discipline and training can be passed on to one’s progeny. Our progress in the fellowship of wisdom is quite beneficial to our children. We can also lose the acquisition through carelessness and impatience; “For though she takes him at first through winding ways, bringing fear and faintness on him, plaguing him with her discipline until she can trust him, and testing him with her ordeals, in the end she will lead him back to the straight road and reveal her secrets to him. If he wanders away, she will abandon him, and hand him over to his fate.” Since the goal of wisdom is to bring us to God, the trials and pains are to take everything that is of us for God to be all in us.

The power and authority of the created wisdom is that of the word of God, for she mirrors or instantiates the Eternal Word in creation. Hence, we have posited that the created wisdom is the light God made first and separated from the darkness at the beginning of the creation of the material universe. One with the authority of the natural wisdom puts forces of darkness away. In this sense, the man in the gospel used the name of Jesus to cast out demons. “John said to Jesus, ‘Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us, we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.’” So many are manifestly outside the Church through no fault of theirs. But because they walk with wisdom privately, they walk with Jesus Christ, the Eternal Wisdom. These are also born of him, as they are born of the created wisdom. As the Psalmist testifies: “The lovers of your law have great peace; they never stumble. I obey your precepts and your will; all that I do is before you.” So, all who are born of wisdom and walk in wisdom are children of God, pleasing to him.

Let us pray: Grant us, almighty God, to be attentive to your holy word, both in creation and in the scriptures, that following your holy will daily, we may be fashioned in your likeness and be pleasing to you in all things. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.  

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