24 July 2019
Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
More than twenty years ago, when I was in college, I had an argument with a renowned professor on a political issue. After a long debate, the professor said that I was just an angry young man who is quite idealistic; he hoped that someday, as I grew older, I would reach a certain maturity and see the world differently. At that time, I thought that he was dismissive and patronizing. As I grew older and read more, I began to see the wisdom in what the old professor said to me. Now, in my older age, I realize that there is still a lot for me to learn, to make me into a better person.
Aristotle once said that the acquisition of learning and wisdom is a lifelong process. The study of metaphysics is not expected of a man until he is fifty years old. The life of virtue is expected to be practiced in a social and political context. The bottom line is that Aristotle would like the youth to be trained in the liberal arts first, and then the disciplinary sciences of mathematics before they undergo an extensive study of natural sciences. The next step is to study moral sciences in order to prepare themselves for involvement in the political life of the city and only after they master the moral sciences, they are capable of dedicating their time to study the supreme wisdom of metaphysics.
Some argue that the story of the Old Testament that we hear today is the depiction of a childish faith of Israel. As the children who only know how to complain, the Israelite complained to Moses and Aaron. Even in our adulthood, we can still act like children who only know how to complain. The problem is that we often forget that learning is a life-long process. We tend to assume that with our graduation from college and entrance in the working life and married life, or religious life, we have reached certain maturity with no need to learn any longer. We often forget that, as the Gospel depicted today, Jesus did not specify the exact time when he will throw the seed. In other words, Jesus will keep throwing seed for us to grow in our heart. Even in our adult life, we can close our hearts and ears from the seed because we assume that we have learned enough.
In prayer today, ask yourself if you feel the need to reach a certain maturity or grow in your faith or if you have already learned enough? Is there any area of your life that you still need to learn and to grow? Are you willing to let God continue to teach you instead of complaining to God?