Friday of the 7th Week of Eastertide
Acts 25:13-21 | Psalm 102(103):1-2,11-12,19-20 | John 21:15-19
‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ (John 21:17)
The Lord knows everything. What do we know, and how confident are we about it?
What do we really mean, when we say that God is the most important aspect of our lives?
Do we even know what we’re talking about, or are we just babbling platitudes, like St. Peter at the Transfiguration of the Lord?
✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞
In the early days of my blog, I tended towards the cerebral, researching scripture passages to discover the history behind the scenes they depict, unearthing juicy tidbits that made me look at these passages in a new light.
That wasn’t wisdom.
Nowadays, I tend to focus more on my relationship with others, the things that happen in my life, and how I can spend more time with God.
That’s probably closer to the ideal that is Wisdom, but I still have a long way to go. I still worry about mundane issues like what it would take to grow my business, still working on my work/life/God balance. The recent heightening of ministerial tensions at my parish coincide with a growing realization that I may have to spend an extended period overseas growing my new business, but it still feels like I’m running away from my call to serve.
I can’t help the feeling that I’m trying to be too smart for my own good, that despite my best efforts, I’m still prioritizing the mundane matters of this world over the virtuous living that God commands.
On this seventh day of the Novena to the Holy Spirit, it seems appropriate to set aside what I “know”, and pray like a fool for a double helping of the Wisdom that I’ll need, to serve God as He calls me, while still supporting my family and friends to the extent they need.
Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it is written “all good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands.” It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor, whilst the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Saviour: “Take up thy cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light.”
Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them forever. Amen.