Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

“The Triumph of Wisdom”
by Filippo Gherardi, 1671

Readings for Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Sirach 4:11-19 [4]
 
Wisdom breathes life into her children
and admonishes those who seek her.
He who loves her loves life;
those who seek her will be embraced by the Lord.
He who holds her fast inherits glory;
wherever he dwells, the LORD bestows blessings.
Those who serve her serve the Holy One;
those who love her the LORD loves.
He who obeys her judges nations;
he who hearkens to her dwells in her inmost chambers.
If one trusts her, he will possess her;
his descendants too will inherit her.
She walks with him as a stranger
and at first she puts him to the test;
Fear and dread she brings upon him
and tries him with her discipline
until she try him by her laws and trust his soul.
Then she comes back to bring him happiness
and reveal her secrets to them
and she will heap upon him
treasures of knowledge and an understanding of justice.
But if he fails her, she will abandon him
and deliver him into the hands of despoilers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Sir 4:11-19
 
Sirach speaks of the rewards of wisdom. “Up to this point the author has analyzed the virtue of fidelity to God in its basic aspects of attitude toward God, parents, self, and the downtrodden. Before taking up miscellaneous wisdom topics, he shows the fruits of wisdom in an effort to entice his reader to accept his principles.” [5]
 
Set as an allegory of a mother, wisdom guides her children and gives them the life of faith. The one who embraces God’s wisdom sees justice through the eyes of God, judging the nations (see also Proverbs 8:15). It is clear mankind is not forced to accept wisdom. Rather, the discipline of wisdom tests those who seek her. The ones who accept are given happiness and the treasures of the kingdom of God; those who reject wisdom are abandoned by God and suffer the ravages of the world.
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:165, 168, 171, 172, 174, 175
 
R. (165a) O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
 
Those who love your law have great peace,
and for them there is no stumbling block.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
 
I keep your precepts and your decrees,
for all my ways are before you.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
 
My lips pour forth your praise,
because you teach me your statutes.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
 
May my tongue sing of your promise,
for all your commands are just.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
 
I long for your salvation, O LORD,
and your law is my delight.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
 
Let my soul live to praise you,
and may your ordinances help me.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 119:165, 168, 171, 172, 174, 175
 
An acrostic poem; each of the eight verses of the first strophe begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet (aleph); each verse of the second strophe begins with the second letter (beth); and so on for all 22 letters of the alphabet.
 
The entire work is in praise of the law, and the joys to be found in keeping it. It is not "legalism" but a love and desire for the word of God in Israel's law, which is the expression of the Lord's revelation of himself and his will for man.
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 9:38-40
 
John said to Jesus,
“Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”
Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 9:38-40
 
Still responding to the disciples' confusion following the casting out of the unclean spirit that could only be cast out through prayer (see Mark 9:17-29), Jesus warns his friends about excluding others from spreading the Good News. He tells them that those who do good in his name are joined with them in proclaiming the truth of the kingdom of God.  They should not be considered as enemies, but as coworkers in the mission upon which he was sent. The Lord warns the disciples about jealousy and intolerance toward others who use the Lord’s name but are not traveling with them. “For whoever is not against us is for us.”
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
How wondrous it is to see how Christ reveals God’s will.  He speaks to the disciples in St. Mark’s Gospel trying to help them understand that those who have, like them, accepted the truth of Jesus to the point of using his name to accomplish good works are allies and coworkers for God.  He speaks that famous phrase; “For whoever is not against us is for us.”
 
When we look at it, isn’t that the same message the son of Sirach was attempting to make as he extolled the merits of God’s wisdom in the first reading?  Sirach personifies wisdom as a loving mother.  In aspect we see glimpses of wisdom in Mother Mary.  We also see a facet of the Holy Spirit which guides each of us in the wisdom of God lifted up by Sirach.
 
Sirach attempted to tell the Hebrew people that all who accept God’s wisdom are adopted by God and enjoy the rewards of the Father.  Of course, writing as he did nearly 200 years before Christ walked the earth, his understanding of the true nature of God’s wisdom was limited to the Law of Moses (rejoiced in by Psalm 119) and the great prophets that had gone before him.  But truth is truth and is timeless.  So, we who are enlightened by Christ hear his words and marvel that the wisdom of God is eternal.  We also see in Christ one who encompasses all of God’s understanding, synthesizing it and applying it for his friends.
 
From a practical perspective, we hear the words of Sirach and rededicate ourselves to embracing God’s wisdom and truth condensed into the precepts of our faith.  At the same time, we are called to recognize that, while we believe the wisdom of God is a treasure of the Holy Church, we must accept as coworkers those who similarly profess a faith in Christ Jesus and work toward proclaiming the kingdom of God in faith and actions.  It is a good reminder for us.
 
Pax
 

---

[1] The picture is “The Triumph of Wisdom” by Filippo Gherardi, 1671.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, except for the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] Note: The citation for this reading is incorrect in the published index of the Lectionary for Mass.
[5] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 33:19, p. 544.