It is no secret that men and women seek wisdom. In the realm of earthly areas it could be as simple as learning how to properly use a vacuum cleaner or as difficult as rebuilding a car engine. In faith it is using one’s free will to seek a life of holiness by placing one’s confidence and hope in God’s wisdom rather than choosing a path to sin.
Our readings and Gospel for this Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time make a good case for adding the virtue of wisdom to the one of humility as advanced two Sundays ago in regards to being a disciple. Conversion of one’s heart replaces pride with humility, but seeking God’s wisdom will be the path to life because it is bestowed by the Holy Spirit as part of God’s plan for salvation.
In St. Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus sites several commandments as handed down by God to Moses and makes clear to his disciples that He has not come to abolish God’s law, but to fulfill it. By His explanations, He is clarifying God’s reasons for why this path was taken so followers not only understand but have God’s wisdom to explain it to those seeking God in their life.
According to God’s plan, His wisdom rests on those who love Him. We don’t have the capacity mentally to attain that as has been shown since the beginning of time. Our frame of reference is what is in it for me?
We see that with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in respect to being equal with God; with people in the Hebrew Scriptures taking advantage of others; in all the New Testament Gospels in which Jesus tries to help people understand truth; and in our own time of doing whatever we want to make sure we receive what we want as defined by the world’s idea of success.
Jesus warns us in St. Matthew’s Gospel today that if we do not accept God’s wisdom in respect to His plan of fulfillment, we will lose salvation. That’s why He says: ”Let your’ Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”
Let us take this week to look at our free will choice to accept God’s wisdom to fulfill the plan God has put in place for all to receive everlasting life. We need to work at being selfless so when faced with decisions about our life and to those we are present; we make the correct choice by following God’s ways who created us out of His love versus the world’s path which focuses on self-satisfaction no matter what the cost.
Reading 1: Sirach 15: 15-20
Reading 2: First Corinthians 2: 6-10
Gospel: Matthew 5: 17-37
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