Wisdom, Sirach tells us
in the first reading of today’s liturgy, “walks with…[us] as a stranger and at
first …puts …[us] to the test. Fear and dread she brings upon…[us] and tries…[us]
with her discipline” (Sirach 4: 11-19).
The choices that take us
into Wisdom’s abode are challenging ones. One of the reflections I pondered during my
morning’s meditation made the comment that “Sirach compares ‘Lady Wisdom’ to a
teacher who is more concerned about teaching us valuable lessons and less
concerned about being our friend. She teaches us that the way of wisdom is not
always an easy road. Sometimes, in fact, it’s a narrow, rocky, even dangerous
path (Mt. 7:14),” as it was for Jesus (The
Word Among Us, I May 2013, p. 41).
The ever-present
temptation is to choose being popular or being another person’s friend or to blend
in with the crowd at the expense of embracing Wisdom, disciplining ourselves in her ways, embracing opportunities
to teach valuable lessons that lead to oneness with our Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus teaches us the Way. His mission was to
be obedient to the Father’s will by teaching wisdom to all who would
listen. He will teach you and me to do
the same. And if we ask for the grace to
choose Wisdom’s way, He will give it to us, as He promises in Jn 14:13: “…ask in my name, this I will do, that the
Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will
do it.”
May we have the courage
to 1) ask and 2) to follow through, disciplining ourselves to follow in obedience
to God’s holy will.
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