A Word to the Wise

A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, November 12th, 2023:
Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Wisdom
6.12-16

​Wisdom is radiant and unfading,
and she is easily discerned by those who love her,
and is found by those who seek her.
She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.
One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty,
for she will be found sitting at the gate.

To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding,
and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care,
because she goes about seeking those worthy of her,
and she graciously appears to them in their paths,
and meets them in every thought.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

When I hear the word "wisdom," I can’t help but think of people our culture thinks are wise. People who make good choices. People who are prepared for the future. People who know what to say and when to say it. Those people have earthly wisdom – a wisdom based on earthly intellect and earthly goals. 

Yet so many of the parables Jesus tells are stories of farmers, fishermen, and landowners defying earthly logic. He is constantly reminding us that His heavenly wisdom surpasses our earthly wisdom. Heavenly wisdom often defies our logic or expectation. The movement of the Spirit, which helps us access God’s wisdom for our lives, can guide us into lives that our culture would reject as foolishness. Priesthood and religious life, a family that welcomes children according to God’s will, seeking employment according to God’s will rather than our desire for advancement, and so much more. God’s wisdom included His plan to save us all from perdition through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son – the most beautiful, scandalous events in all of human history.

We are free to follow God’s wisdom because of our trust in His provision, His plan, and His love for us. We are free to look foolish to the world in the knowledge that we are on a path that leads us to His Kingdom.

But how do we know that wisdom? That’s the real challenge. This reading gives us an insight into how to access God’s heart so that His wisdom can be revealed to us: “She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.” Our desire to seek God’s wisdom is what helps us discover it. Through relationship with God, we can become more aware of where God is leading us. 

That can be achieved in many different ways, but it first and foremost is a fruit of frequent prayer – both our prayer and that of others. God often will break through to speak to us through a word of inspiration given to another person. That word is then entrusted to us so that we can pray and discern God’s wisdom. God’s wisdom can also be made clear to us in the discernment of another person – this is particularly applicable when it comes to acceptance into Holy Orders (which requires the discernment of your bishop), marriage (which requires the discernment of your future spouse), and employment (which requires the discernment of your future employer). The partner for that discernment is accepting God’s wisdom working in others.

Following God is a constant process. Because His wisdom defies all earthly logic, it requires a tremendous amount of trust. By entrusting our heart, soul, and body to the Lord, we can encounter His wisdom and join Him on the path to heaven.




Stéphanie Potter​

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