Be Wise; Follow Jesus and Live His Word
(Wis 7:7-11; Psalm 90; Heb 4:12-13; Mk 10:17-30)
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When the late Paulo Ehle OMI returned from ministering in Brazil for a visit, I apologized for not staying more in touch with him. He replied simply, “The Portugese have a saying: ‘What you spend your time and money on, that is where your heart is.’” That wisdom convicted me, to say the least, and helped me value relationships more deeply.
Fr. Paulo Ehle OMI
The readings today invite us to be wise; to follow Jesus and to live according to his Word.
The first reading from the book of Wisdom extols the gift of wisdom in lavish terms. There is almost nothing to compare with wisdom in terms of importance, priority, value and esteem. There is certainly much to be said for this argument. Wisdom can save us from untold hardships and trials. Wisdom is not the same as knowledge. Knowledge can be learned from books and teachers; wisdom is what is learned from life experiences, and helps us to apply our knowledge in ways that will benefit all of creation. Certainly, today, let us pray for that beautiful gift of wisdom.
The Gospel today, less directly, also speaks of wisdom. The young man who approaches Jesus is earnest and honest in his request. He wants to acquire or possess eternal life. That is a noble request, only he lacks some wisdom. Eternal life is not something we possess, earn or acquire. It is given to us as grace, as gift. So, Jesus gently responds in that vein, even to the extent of limiting the use of the word “goodness” in reference to him. Then Jesus gently leads him beyond the focus of commandments on “You shall not” to a focus on the broader “You shall.” In his case, he was invited to let go of his possessions, make a radical commitment, follow Jesus, and he would experience the joys of the kingdom of God. Unfortunately, this young man’s wealth limited his freedom to say “Yes” to Jesus’ invitation to a more radical discipleship, and he went away sad. Had this young man had the wisdom of the first reading, he would have made that leap of faith.
The Jewish people saw wealth as a sign of favor from God. In fact, it is the gift of salvation that is a sign of God’s favor. Jesus’ words demonstrate the commandments are intended to be a framework for our faith. Faith fully lived is a call to action in our daily lives.
The second reading speaks of another kind of wisdom – the wisdom of making the Word of God a priority in our lives. What could be more important than listening to God through his Word? Yet how many of us Catholics have a bible, read scripture, study it and are familiar with it? Whenever I preside at a Eucharist at the Lac St. Anne pilgrimage each year in Alberta I always ask the congregation of about 2,000 if they have brought along a bible. It is always shocking to see how few people, pilgrims, put up their hands. One of the greatest needs in the Church today is to have people fall in love with the Word of God and make it a priority in their lives.
Blessing of the lake at the Lac St Anne pilgrimage
The late Cardinal Carlo Martini, hailed as a great proponent of Vatican II, in his last public statement before his death, mentioned three key elements needed to revive the Church today: Conversion; the Word of God, and the sacraments as an encounter with a living God.
Cardinal Carlos Martini
The liturgy brings together the three themes of today’s readings: we are wise to be here participating in this celebration, in which we first of all celebrate the liturgy of the Word, and finally commune with Jesus and are strengthened to follow him into a deeper experience of eternal life.
So, let us be wise – follow Jesus and live His Word. May God bless us all in this effort.
So , to be wise is believing in Jesus and living out his word by reading and studying the bible. Most of us have a bible at hand, we are to read scriptures and passages that explains about Jesus’ life and his ways of teachings. We can also ponder over it and think about what is it talking about. How many of us understand the bible? There is not a lot of people understanding the gospel of the Lord and even the word of the Lord. As long as we try to understand it by studying the bible and hearing the word of God during celebrations is being closer to God. If we do understand it we can practice Lectio Divina, which is using that scriptures and passages in our prayers while we are praying. This can also help us build an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and God. Amen. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
Thanks Bishop Lavoie for spreading the word of God and learning how to live the word of God. Gracias! Bravo! Many Blessings ! I love reading your homilies and reading the scriptures from the bible.