16 July 2014 - hidden wisdom

16 July 2014 - hidden wisdom

For he says:
“By my own power I have done it,
and by my wisdom, for I am shrewd.
I have moved the boundaries of peoples,
their treasures I have pillaged,
and, like a giant, I have put down the enthroned.

We begin to have problems when we forget to acknowledge that every blessing we have is from God.  When we experience great successes we are still an axe or a saw made and wielded by God.  We are a rod or staff in his hand.  When he uses us to do great things we should still say "We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do" (cf. Luk. 17:10).  When we forgot this, when we think we're succeeding by our own strength, we become increasingly likely to ignore the purpose of the one from whom all strength and blessing truly comes.  We become more and more likely to run beyond his purposes, to transgress, and to sin.

And they say, “The LORD sees not;
the God of Jacob perceives not.”
Understand, you senseless ones among the people;
and, you fools, when will you be wise?

We think that it is our wisdom that plots out our successes.  This in turn causes us to trust ourselves more.  This is why God says, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart" (cf. 1 Cor. 1:19).  It is good that he does this because "Claiming to be wise, they became fools" (cf. Rom. 1:22).

"Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom" (cf. 1 Cor. 2:6) and we should seek this true wisdom as the antidote to empty human wisdom.  It is hidden, but Jesus tells us how to find it.

I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.

We must become like children.  Children trust their Father.  They trust their eldest brother.  Children are seldom smug and self-confident in their own wisdom, but hold fast to the wisdom they receive from their family.  Only when we surrender our own claims on wisdom are we open to be filled by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.  This is wisdom like that which Stephen has, which is so great that his opponents "could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke" (cf. Act. 6:10)  It is a wisdom of childlike innocence which is why "his face was like the face of an angel" (cf. Act. 6:15).

The wisdom of Jesus is hidden from the wise and the learned.  Where is it hidden that the wise and the learned miss it but children find it?  It is in "Christ himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (cf. Col. 2:2-3).  Why do the wise not see the wisdom revealed in Jesus?  The world can't accept the wisdom of the cross.  Christ crucified is a stumbling block and foolishness to the world "but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength" (cf. 1 Cor 1:24-25).

Let us lay down the wisdom of the world and embrace the wisdom of the children of God. This wisdom comes through the Holy Spirit.  He cannot fill a cup that is already full.  But that of which we are filled is, at best, insipid.  May we be emptied, that we might be filled.  We've been dealing in worldly wisdom for so long that we might wonder if we can find our way back to such a pure and innocent wisdom.  But it is the LORD that brings us back.  We are his people and he will not abandon us.

For the LORD will not cast off his people,
nor abandon his inheritance;
But judgment shall again be with justice,
and all the upright of heart shall follow it. 

So let us fix our eyes on the Son, even upon the cross.  He is the only one who knows the Father.  But he delights to reveal him to us when we simply just look to him to do so.  When we truly see him, we do see the Father as well (cf. Joh. 14:9).  The vision is the only true wisdom.  It is a wisdom that Mary is privileged to reveal.  Her gaze upon her infant song unlocks this treasures.  From her post at the cross her gaze continues.  She is vindicated to see his rising. And she delights to share them with us as well.

Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us!