Memorial of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin
Wisdom and its many attributes is the topic for our first reading today. What does it mean for us to be wise, and how can this Wisdom help us be faithful disciples of Christ?
Wisdom in the first reading is described as “loving the good, keen, unhampered, beneficent, kindly, firm, secure, tranquil, all powerful, all seeing.” (Ws 7: 22) Wisdom is the “spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness” (Ws 7:26) and “produces friends of God and prophets”. (Ws 7:27) A few verses later we hear that Wisdom “leads into the understanding of God, and chooses his works.”(Ws 8: 4) Wisdom is evident when a person allows the Spirit of God to be reflected in words, thoughts and actions of daily living. This individual knows God’s will and not only proclaims this message, but allows love, kindness, peace and mercy to be the foundation for how life is lived.
Jesus early in his ministry proclaims that “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me” (Lk 4:18). The fullness of the Spirit of God is seen in Jesus’ life, and it is through His words and deeds that Jesus builds the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells the Pharisees in today’s gospel that the “Kingdom of God is among you” (Lk 17:21), since Jesus is the full expression of God’s love and mercy here on this earth. Jesus explains that His passion, death, rejection, and resurrection will “light up the sky” as a testament to God’s saving action for all of creation. Wisdom is perfectly expressed in Jesus, since Jesus is the “spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness.” (Ws 7:26)
As disciples of Jesus, we are called to be wise as we allow the Spirit of the Lord to fill us and lead us every day. The attributes of Wisdom described in today’s readings are demonstrated in the life of Jesus as He brings healing for the sick, mercy for the broken, and love for all of creation. We are invited to bring that same light to the world around us as we continue to build the Kingdom of God. Through prayer, sacrament, scripture and creation, we learn of God’s love and the desire to pour out the Spirit upon us, so we can be filled with Wisdom and more closely follow Jesus.
It is Wisdom (the Spirit of God) that connects heaven and earth as we are invited into relationship with the Triune God. The Father sends down the Spirit, and Jesus shows us how to live fully human lives filled with the God’s Spirit. Spend time today praying for an outpouring of the Wisdom of God, so we can become more faithful disciples of Christ.
—Marylynn Herchline