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| “The Triumph of Wisdom” by Filippo Gherardi, 1671 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Sirach 4:11-19 [4]
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.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:165, 168, 171, 172, 174, 175
R. (165a) 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.
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Gospel: Mark 9:38-40
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.”
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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
Pax
[1] The picture is “The Triumph of Wisdom” by Filippo Gherardi, 1671.
[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.
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