Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday of 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1, and the Memorial of St. Josaphat, November 12th, 2021
Texts: Wisdom 13:1-9; Ps. 19:2-3.4-5ab; Luke 17:26-37
Today's Readings remind us of the danger of being earthly minded. When we are too concerned about worldly things, our minds will hardly see beyond the physical world to acknowledge the author, our minds will not see beyond here and now to explore the opportunity that lies here after and beyond now. The wise, in today's first reading, calls those who could not look beyond the physical world to see their Author, God, fools. The difference between the wise and the fool is the ability to deduce the truth from available facts. The fools could not see beyond the available facts, but the wise could see beyond them to deduce the truth.
Their foolishness is inexcusable because they have the power to discover God but do not use it to search for Him. The problem is that they spend their spiritual power and energy to find God on earthly things; they use it to investigate worldly things. They spend their lives engaging in earthly adventures rather than heavenly or spiritual adventures. This happens when we prefer partying and clubbing to going to church, when we prefer worldly music to Christian music, etc. The wise says, "Yet these men are little to be blamed, for perhaps they go astray while seeking God and desiring to find him. For as they live among his works they keep searching, and they trust in what they see, because the things that are seen are beautiful. Yet again, not even they are to be excused; for if they had the power to know so much that they could investigate the world, how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things?"
The wise goes further to tells us that in the beauty and glory of the things we see, the beauty and greatness of their Author, God, are acknowledged. He says, "If through delight in the beauty of these things men assumed them to be gods, let them know how much better than these is their Lord, for the author of beauty created them. And if men were amazed at their power and working, let them perceive from them how much more powerful is he who formed them. For from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator." The things we see around us prove that their existence is dependent on being outside themselves. Hence, today's psalm says, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands. Day unto day conveys the message, and night unto night imparts the knowledge." Then, the wise is right in saying those who do not acknowledge God are foolish.
When we are earthbound, Christ will come and meet us unprepared and we will fade away with the earthly things. Our preparation for the coming of Christ should be by raising up our minds heavenlywards. Only those who gaze towards heaven will Christ meet prepared. Only those who look up to heaven will find God. Jesus Christ, in today's gospel reading, reminds us that history has a lot of lessons for us about the coming of the Son of man. The manner in which the Son of man will come is no longer new to us. Jesus Christ takes our minds back to the time of Noah and the time of Lot. This means we have no excuse any longer, for history has taught us. The lord wants us to prepare at all times; we should be ready always for His visitation. We also learn, today, that the way of the Lord is as it was in the past and so also it will be forever. As it was in the time of Noah so also it was in the time of Lot, so also it is in our time and will be in the time to come. Hence, the way of the Lord is true always. As the Lord endures forever, so also His way endures forever.
Lord our God, we acknowledge all You have done to lift up our hearts to You, we beg You to continue luring us to lift up our hearts to You. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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