Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
In the 1st reading of today’s mass we get a picture of this hard-to-understand “Wisdom”. She is like a mother who gives her child joy and happiness but also tells him he must go against being fearful, timid, and disobedient. He must learn how and when to be tough on himself. The more he complies, the better, happier person he will become.
Her words and actions are like growth in the spiritual life. Painful. If prudent, eventually the boy will see that the better he learned to go against himself, the better he can appreciate the love and care his mother gave him and how to share realistically that love while dealing now with others.
Conclusion: how easy it is for me to see the logic in this analogy, but when darkness and trials come they bring shadows that prevent me from focusing on the reality. I must pray more often that I and those I know grow to appreciate the lesson contained in the Book of Wisdom.
Resolve: After reading Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel, I shall pray to appreciate better those people outside the Catholic Church in our country who, according to the grace they have been given, make his message known to others.