Reflection on Today's Readings, Thursday of 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1, and the Memorial of St. Martin of Tour, November 11th, 2021
Texts: Wisdom 7:22—8:1; Ps. 119:89-91, 130, 135, 175; Luke 17:20-25
We are told, today, the nature of Wisdom; the spirit of wisdom is holy, intelligent, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, clear, unpolluted, distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen, irresistible, beneficent, humane, steadfast, sure, free from anxiety, all powerful, overseeing all, and penetrative through all spirits that are intelligent and pure and most Subtle. It is the image of God and beauty of His glory. Wisdom is also a divine manifestation, a reflection of God, an extension of Him. Wisdom, owing her beauty and glory, it is the desire of everyone.
Anyone who desires Wisdom leans towards becoming like her, acquiring her qualities. We need to be holy and bent on goodness. To befriend wisdom is to be like God, it is to be an extension of almighty God. It is by becoming good that we become wise. When we are good, we tend to know how good and bad man is, we come to see how man prefers evil to good.
It is said in the first reading, "in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God". Wisdom makes man the friend of God. She also makes man the beloved to God; for it is said, "God loves nothing so much as the man who lives with wisdom". This means wisdom makes us keep the words of God, His commandments, commands and statues.
We are to leave ourselves in the hands of wisdom till the kingdom of God comes. It is those who live by wisdom that would be aware of God's presence in our midst, for wisdom is an emanation of God and His glory. It is expressed thus: "For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness." When wisdom enters us, we have within us the kingdom of God, that is, the reign of God.
Jesus Christ is the wisdom personified. So, in Jesus Christ the kingdom of God is present among us. When we are living our faith in Jesus Christ, we do not need to run around. When we are with Jesus Christ, we do not need to look for the kingdom of God, for it is within us by our faith in Him. It is lack of faith that makes people runn around, moving from one church to another.
St. Martin of Tour whom we remember, today, was filled with faith and practised charity. In his life we come to know what it means to live by wisdom. Pazhayampallil speaks of him thus: "What characterised his life was the courage of faith and generosity to all. His fidelity to Christ's message made him struggle, suffer and engage in a hard fight against non-Christians, heretics and non-believers. He dedicated his life to the love of his neighbour, beginning with that famous night when, still a catechumen, making his rounds in the depth of winter, he met a poor man, half naked, and taking his sword, he cut his mantle in two and gave half to the poor man. The following night, he saw in a dream Jesus himself, wearing half of his mantle."
Lord Jesus, help us to live by Your wisdom that we may not miss Your kingdom. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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