These words have resonated in my heart and mind. What is true wisdom? Can true wisdom be calculated only by the number of years that we have spent at school or attending university. Does true wisdom come from doing what is proposed to us by the most influential section of our society? As Christians we need to nurture a particular kind of wisdom that emanates from the very life and attitudes of Jesus Christ. As followers of Jesus Christ, true wisdom means that we develop a way of thinking and acting that is in harmony with the thinking and way of behavior of Jesus Christ. This is a very particular kind of wisdom which very often is in direct contrast, and which presents a complete reversal of conventional standards and values. This is very plain to see and understand as we recall the beatitudes, the core of the message of Jesus in today’s gospel.
Moreover, this wisdom emanating from the way of thinking of Jesus can be nurtured by every single person; by those who live a high profile life and those who attend to their responsibilities in a quite and silent manner.
I would like to reflect about a couple of practical ways in which we can display this wisdom that we are invited to nurture as Christian people. In the first place, we need to remember that as believers in Jesus Christ we are never alone. Our God is alive and powerfully active within us because of our baptism and confirmation. This means that every person who is baptized is able to do great things. A good education, a high profiled and a well paid job, being a respectful member of our local communities are all assets which help us to develop our own personal qualities and be of help to others. However, true wisdom that comes from our faith teaches us that irrespective of what status we have in society, we are able to do so much good because of the life giving presence of Jesus Christ in us. St Therese of Liseaux, died quite young at the age of twenty four. She did not leave us much of her thoughts and beliefs in written form. However what we have, shows a person who inspite of being so young, had developed a depth of wisdom. One of her favourite sayings is, “Do the ordinary things in life, extraordinarily well”. This is what makes true wisdom. We are important people, not because of what we do and what we can achieve, but because of who we are; people totally dumbed in the power and presence of our God. This means that whatever we do in the spirit influence and changes for the better the lives of those who we meet.
Martin Luther King, understood this quite well. He said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well”. This is true wisdom. Let us try to be the best parent that we can be, the best fathers and mothers that we can be, the best children that we can be, the best priests, religious sisters and bishop we can be. May wherever we are, people can sense and experience the presence of our loving and living God.
Another quality of the wisdom that is as result of our faith is to do everything that we possibly can to make our world a much better place to live and to enjoy. At the same time we keep conscious that our true and ultimate destiny is to be with God forever. This enables us to live this life with a victorious mentality which in turn gives us confidence in exercising and developing the talents that God has given us and to preserve in the times of great challenges and difficulties.
The story is told of a young man who went to visit William Gladstone who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1868 to 1874. The young man told Mr Gladstone that he would like to study law. “Yes”, said the Prime Minister, “and then what?” “Then, I would like to serve in Parliament in the House of Lords”, the young man smiled. “Yes”, Gladstone said, “and then what?” “Well”, the young man replied, getting a bit uncomfortable with Gladstone’s “what thens”, “I suppose I would die.” “Yes”, said Gladstone soberly, “What then?” “I have no plans beyond that”, the young man replied, “I have never thought any further than that.” “Then”, Gladstone sternly replied, “Young man you are a fool. You need to go home and think life through”.
We have so much to be grateful for. We have so much to thank God for. We have so many reasons to celebrate “Lord deepen my desire to think like you, to feel like you, to love like you. May I always remember that whatever good I do for others and for myself is at the same time being touched and nourished by you. May I also become more and more conscious that true wisdom consists in the deep conviction and understanding that it is no longer I who lives but that it is you Lord who is living in me. With you in me and with myself united to you, I know that I am a source of your blessing and presence to those around me. Thank you”.
God Bless
