HAVING 

THE WISDOM OF GOD

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 31^st Sunday in Ordinary Time [c] is, “Having the Wisdom of God.”

If you want something to pray for -  this week - it’s that: to have the wisdom of God.

Big prayer!  To have the wisdom of God….

LET ME SPELL THAT OUT - TODAY’S FIRST READING

Let me spell that out. Let me spin that out. Let me make that more specific - namely and mainly - to have the kind of attitude God has for us - to have that kind of attitude towards each other.

Did we hear what today’s first reading said to us?

The reading is from the Book of Wisdom - 11:22 to 12:2.  The first reading began this way: “Before the Lord - the whole universe - is as a grain from a balance - or a drop of morning dew - come down upon the earth.”

Picture that.  A scale has on one side some sand to measure what’s going on the other side. The writer of the Book of Wisdom says in God’s eye, in God’s mind, the whole universe is as a grain of sand or of dust as one translation puts it -  that tips a balance scale.

Tonight - stand on the grass or sidewalk - outside of where you live. Look up into the sky - into the universe. The writer of Wisdom - which dates to the last half of the first century B.C. would not know what we today know of the vastness of the universe - and we have no clue to what they will know in the year 3016 or 30,016. But standing there the author could see the vastness of the dark night and the multitude of stars up there - but without planes heading for the Cairo or Alexandria airport. Not there yet.

Or in the morning look at a drop of morning dew on your shoe or on a plant when walking the dog or on your windshield and say to God. “You’re aware of all this. Wow!  If that’s true, you must be aware of all of us little old me’s as well. Thank You, God. Thank You.”

Then this document called, “The Book of Wisdom” says, “But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people’s sins that they may repent.”

Catch that. We’re listening to Pope Francis say that same message - loud and clear - all this year - this year of mercy.

Wow. Addison Wright, a Biblical Scholar, says in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary that someone wrote what I just quoted - but in Greek - for Jews - probably in Egypt - “probably Alexandria, the great intellectual and scientific center of the Mediterranean world and one of the largest centers of the Jewish Diaspora.”

Next, catch God’s wisdom.

By forgiving us - by not jumping all over us - by showing us mercy - God’s wisdom - is that people are more apt to change by forgiveness and mercy that by scream, anger, punishment or threat.

Is the opposite true?

Do we change more by a pat on the back or a kick in the butt?

Do we respond to fear - as in fear of God - fear of hell - fear of punishment - more than by love of God and hopes for eternal life with God - and with those who went before us?

St, Alphonsus who started the Redemptorists said, “Fear works!”  Then he adds, “But in the long run - fear fades. Love doesn’t. It takes more time, but love and mercy is the secret.”

I am very much aware of this message - because my dad - I lucked out - was a piece of cake - had a fantastic smile - and only once corrected me  while growing up - sending me to bed without supper - because I wouldn’t eat stew on a Saturday night - all that stuff mixed together - oooh - especially ugly green soggy string beans. OOOOOOhhhh!

This happened before the Holy Communion fast was changed - so we had to fast from midnight on. I was an altar boy the next morning - and hadn’t had food the night before - so as altar boy - I fainted up at the altar - causing a minor commotion - they tell me - and they had to carry me into the sacristy - and for the rest of my growing up - it was cheese sandwiches and peanut butter and jelly forever and ever Amen.

OKAY TODAY’S GOSPEL

As you know the first reading and the gospel are often connected. [Cf. Luke 19:1-10.]

We heard about Zacchaeus - a chief tax collector and a wealthy man - being spotted in a tree by Jesus.

This short shifty sneaky sinner - in a sycamore tree - was called out and down out of that tree by Jesus and Jesus invites himself into the tax collectors house for a meal.

Notice this causes grumble. Nobody liked tax collectors who overtaxed everyone to get money for the Romans and then for himself.

Notice too that Jesus eats with him - has communion with him - before his repentance - before his conversion - before his change of attitude and behavior.  Notice that. Notice that - in your conscience struggles - and in your communion with Jesus our Lord.

Notice Zacchaeus says, “Behold half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.”

Notice - niceness works. Mercy works. Acceptance works. Love works.

This gospel story is one more forgiveness and mercy story - Luke being the gospel of mercy - the gospel for this year.

I don’t know the mind of Matthew - Mark - Luke and John.

So I say with hesitation that Luke doesn’t give us the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats - found in Matthew 25 - Matthew - a former tax collector. Okay he has the story of Rich Man and Lazarus - the rich man never noticing the poor man - Lazarus at his door - and the Rich Man goes to Hell for being so self-centered.

So….

CONCLUSION

The person who can tell us - what works best - fear of hell or hope of heaven - is us.