Worlds in Contrast

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Friar Musings

The first reading for today is from the Book of Wisdom (2:23-3:9), which provides a profound reflection on the contrast of world views between the foolish and the wise.

The foolish people are described as those who reject wisdom and live in a manner that is contrary to God’s ways. They mock and persecute the righteous of faith, seeing them as fools for basing their lives on the moral teachings of Scripture and the promise of eternal life. These are people who believe that life ends in death and that there is no purpose beyond the present moment. As a consequence there is a focus on worldly pleasures and material gain. There is no need, purpose, or possibility of biblical Hope. Their focus is on the present and this life. Continue reading →

After Mass today…

Posted on November 12, 2023 by Friar Musings

In response to my homily, part of which made a distinction between knowledge and wisdom, a parishioner have me a great phrase which will undoubtedly appear in a future homily: “Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting a tomato in a fruit salad.” Nice.

What can’t be borrowed

Posted on November 12, 2023 by Friar Musings

A world of information, expert advice, and knowledge all sit at our fingertips. With all that available to us via a simple query or the use of artificial intelligence such as Chat GPT, we should have plenty of answers to our questions. But will the answers carry wisdom? I can find a world of knowledge about bees and bee stings with a few keystrokes. Wisdom lies much deeper than our quick keystroke answers. Knowledge understands bee stings, but wisdom does not disturb the hive. Continue reading →

Who we meet along the way

Posted on October 31, 2022 by Friar Musings

From time to time, my dad would remind me that “every person you meet is your better in that you can learn something from them.” Good and sage advice. I wonder if he knew he was echoing Ralph Waldo Emerson who wrote: “In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.” Of course one can then ask if the quote is original to Mr. Emerson. Continue reading →

An Invitation to Wisdom

Posted on September 30, 2022 by Friar Musings

The first reading this week has been taken from the Book of Job. It is considered to be one of the scrolls belonging to the Wisdom category and is a narrative that, in its own way, attempts to address the question of suffering during one’s life. Our story began with Monday’s reading in which we learn that Job is pious and upright, richly endowed in his own person and in domestic prosperity. He suffers a sudden and complete reversal of fortune. He loses his property and his children; a loathsome disease afflicts his body; and he is overcome with sorrow. Nevertheless, Job does not complain against God. Continue reading →

True Wisdom

Posted on August 30, 2022 by Friar Musings

The first reading is from Paul’s “1st Letter to the Corinthians,” from the middle of the first of five sections within the letter. Chapter 2-4 are about divisions within the Corinthian community. The reasons for these divisions are several and some are explored in detail in following chapters, but in this section, the divisions are about the popularity of certain leaders leading to rivalries among them: “I mean that each of you is saying, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas.” (1 Cor 1:12)

His basic response is “You’ve got to be kidding me! You belong to Christ.” Continue reading →

Wisdom and Understanding

Posted on February 21, 2022 by Friar Musings

From our first reading today: “Who among you is wise and understanding?” (James 3:13a) That is not the kind of question for which people are going to raise their hands and cry out “Me!!.” But it is the kind of question that we hope is true of ourselves, our loved ones, and those with whom we work and play. Continue reading →

The Pursuit of Wisdom

Posted on January 28, 2022 by Friar Musings

Today is the memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, a Doctor of the Church, and medieval scholastic philosopher and theologian. His best-known works are the Disputed Questions on Truth, the Summa contra Gentiles, and the unfinished but influential Summa Theologiae. The first reading for the memorial is from the Book of Wisdom. There are commentaries a plenty on the whole of the book and I would not attempt such a effort, but I would note that, (a) besides being a great source of a reading to honor St. Thomas, (b) it has importance for our times.

Continue reading →

What should be evident

Posted on November 12, 2021 by Friar Musings

In St. Paul’s letter to the Romans he quickly addresses gentile people’s culpability for knowing – or at least having an strong inclination of – the one true God given they did not have the benefit of the covenant relationship with Him. Paul writes: “For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse; for although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened. While claiming to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:19-22) Continue reading →

Praying for Wisdom

Posted on September 19, 2021 by Friar Musings

Last week the question was “who do you say that I am?” Did you come up with an answer? Maybe some of you are thinking to yourself… “did he really expect us to think about that question?” Short answer: yes. Seems like a pretty important question, don’t ya’ think? I didn’t say it was an easy question, just an important one… perhaps the most important you will ever answer in this lifetime. It is the kind of question that calls for wisdom.

When was the last time you prayed for wisdom? Continue reading →

friarmusings

the musings of a Franciscan friar…

Tag Archives: wisdom