“Pray, v. “To ask that the rules of the universe be annulled on behalf of a single petitioner, confessedly
unworthy.”
Ambrose Bierce,
The Devil’s
Dictionary, 1906
Friday, November 15, 2019
Thursday, November 14, 2019
PRAYING WITH
THE BOOK OF WISDOM
THE BOOK OF WISDOM
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Praying With the Book of Wisdom.”
We get today’s first reading - Wisdom 7: 22b-8:1 - only once in the Lectionary and only every
other year - on this 32 Thursday in Ordinary Time.
If you have some time today step back in here and read this
reading - hear this reading again - before it slides back into unconsciousness.
It’s all about Wisdom - SOPHIA - in Greek and I am not conscious of ever praying for wisdom
- for SOPHIA. Maybe I did at my confirmation - but that
period in my life, I was unconscious. As
well as today ….
This reading describes wisdom with about 40 different
descriptions.
BACKGROUND
Last night I
did a little bit of research to
come up with a short homily for this morning,
The Book of Wisdom is not in the Jewish Bible - which has
a few books of wisdom - but not as many as the Septuagint - which becomes the
Old Testament of the Catholic Bible.
Next I tried to find out if there was a copy - in Greek -
of this book in the Qumran Caves. In other words - was it found in the Dead
Sea Scrolls caves? There were a few Greek documents in there. Nope - not the Book of Wisdom as far as I could figure - sniffing around the Internet
Hebrew thought and theology had the theme of wisdom -
especially in 3 wisdom Books in the Hebrew Bible: Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
First let me describe what kind of literature, wisdom is
not.
It’s not historical memories - like the exodus and the
wars to get land. It does not deal with the covenant, or the Temple or
Jerusalem.
It’s not the prophets.
Wisdom literature has different concerns: for example,
maintaining good relationships and understanding human experiences.
The Book of Wisdom - called Wisdom - today’s first reading - which is only in the
Septuagint - is the last of the Old Testament books - from around the first
century before Christ.
It would be an attempt to help Jewish folks in Alexandria
- how to be up to date with their Greek counterparts.
I need to take more time as well as prayer on Wisdom and
the Jewish wisdom literature.
CONCLUSION
I do love the Eastern Rite custom in their liturgy of holding up the readings
- the Lectionary - in the air as they chant, “Wisdom Be Attentive.”
When about to work on a homily I like to put my hands on
the Bible, the Lectionary or the readings of the day and say, “Wisdom Be Attentive.”
So when you have some time, read today’s first reading
again - and reflect upon all the words it uses to express what SOPHIA is.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
November 13, 2019
Lord, it’s a cold
November
RAINY PSALM
night with splashing rain
pelting my
windshield.
The window wipers
are keeping time
like
metronomes. It's
music to my
ears,
Yet, Lord, I’m anxious
on this cold and
nervous
night because of
the wind
and the poor
visibility
and in my
inability to see
the white lines
on the road.
Then all stops.
It’s clear.
I’m Elijah in my
chariot
and You, Lord, are
both
the bringer of
good
and bad weather.
You are the
bringer
of dark calm and
peace in the
night.
© Andy Costello, Reflections
2019
November 12, 2019
BAR SCENE
Resentments and regrets,
sediments sitting there at
the bottom of his drink,
sitting there at the empty bar,
stirring and twirling his glass,
holding up his life in a glass
to the light, seeing only the
mistakes - missing the good.
A scene in every
bar so far….
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019
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