Thursday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 494
Reading 1
Wisdom 7:22b–8:1
In Wisdom is a spirit
intelligent, holy, unique,
Manifold, subtle, agile,
clear, unstained, certain,
Not baneful, loving the good, keen,
unhampered, beneficent, kindly,
Firm, secure, tranquil,
all-powerful, all-seeing,
And pervading all spirits,
though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.
For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,
and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.
For she is an aura of the might of God
and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nought that is sullied enters into her.
For she is the refulgence of eternal light,
the spotless mirror of the power of God,
the image of his goodness.
And she, who is one, can do all things,
and renews everything while herself perduring;
And passing into holy souls from age to age,
she produces friends of God and prophets.
For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom.
For she is fairer than the sun
and surpasses every constellation of the stars.
Compared to light, she takes precedence;
for that, indeed, night supplants,
but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom.
Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily
and governs all things well.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 119:89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175
R. (89a) Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Your word, O LORD, endures forever;
it is firm as the heavens.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Through all generations your truth endures;
you have established the earth, and it stands firm.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
According to your ordinances they still stand firm:
all things serve you.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Let your countenance shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Let my soul live to praise you,
and may your ordinances help me.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Alleluia
John 15:5
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord:
whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 17:20-25
Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
"The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.'
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you."
Then he said to his disciples,
"The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
'Look, there he is,' or 'Look, here he is.'
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation."
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Perceiving the Kingdom of God
Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.” Luke 17:20–21
Why did the Pharisees ask Jesus this question? Why did they want to know when the Kingdom of God would come? To answer this question, we must first look at the full context of the various communications between Jesus and the Pharisees. When we do this and see the many ways that the Pharisees attempted to trap Jesus in speech and the times in which our Lord firmly rebuked the Pharisees, it seems clear that the Pharisees did not ask Jesus this question in innocence and openness. Instead, they once again were trying to trap Him. They posed a question by which they gave the appearance of believing Jesus’ teachings that the Kingdom of God was coming, but they asked not in faith but in mockery and in an attempt to trip Jesus up in His answer.
Jesus’ answer is mysterious. It leaves little room for the Pharisees to use Jesus’ speech against Him. Perhaps the Pharisees were hoping that Jesus would say that the Kingdom was coming soon, or next month, or within the year. But Jesus’ answer leaves them with confusion in the face of this mystery that “the Kingdom of God is among you.”
Much of what Jesus says can only be fully understood through faith. He often speaks in veiled language intentionally, because the only way to lift the veil to perceive the meaning of His teachings is to rely upon the inspired gift of faith. Faith is like a key to unlock the secrets of the mysteries of God. Faith becomes a lens through which every parable, every figure of speech, and every mystery taught by our Lord is understood. But without this inspired gift of faith, Jesus’ teachings remain mysterious and incomprehensible.
When you ponder these words that “the Kingdom of God is among you,” what do you understand? Are you able to use the gift of faith to unlock the meaning of this sacred teaching? Interestingly, reading Jesus’ words, spoken in a veiled way, offer us the opportunity to test our own faith. If we read these words and are left in confusion, then this is a clear sign that we need to pray for and be open to the gift of faith. But if we do read Jesus’ mysterious teachings and the light of understanding is given to us, then this is a clear reason to rejoice, since this comprehension is only possible through the gift of faith.
Reflect, today, upon this sacred teaching of our Lord: “The Kingdom of God is among you.” Meditate on those words and pray for insight and understanding. Jesus’ words are true. His Kingdom truly is everywhere, all around us and within us. It is alive and well. Do you see it? Do you perceive it? Do you see your role in building it? Use these questions as a test of your own level of faith and know that God wants to reveal to you these mysteries that are only able to be comprehended by His grace.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
WISE UP
“Passing into holy souls from age to age, [Wisdom] produces friends of God and prophets. For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom.” —Wisdom 7:27-28
To be “friends of God and prophets,” we must be wise (Wis 7:27). To live in God’s love (Jn 15:10), we must be wise (Wis 7:28). To defeat wickedness rather than be defeated by it, we must be wise (Wis 7:30). Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah and His people would have “a spirit of wisdom” (Is 11:2). Christ crucified is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24).
Are you wise? Fools often think they are wise. Therefore, to prove we are wise we need more than our opinion or the opinions of other fools. A telltale sign of wisdom is our readiness for the end of the world, Jesus’ final coming, and Judgment Day. For example, the five wise virgins were wise because they were always ready for the Bridegroom’s return (Mt 25:1ff).
Are you ready for Jesus’ return? Are you crying out with the Christians of the last twenty centuries “Maranatha!” (“Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rv 22:20)? If you are ready for Jesus’ return now, you are probably wise in most other areas of your life. If you are not ready for Jesus’ return now, you are probably foolish in many other ways. However, you can repent and give your life to Jesus. Then you will change from a fool to a wise man or woman. Wise up.
Prayer: Father, “give me Wisdom, the attendant at Your throne, and reject me not from among Your children” (Wis 9:4).
Promise: “The reign of God is already in your midst. [Jesus] said to the disciples: ‘A time will come when you will long to see one day of the Son of Man but will not see it.’ ” —Lk 17:21-22
Praise: St. Margaret of Scotland, by the grace of God, was “the ideal queen and mother.”
Reflection 3
By Larry Hopp
In today’s instant information age, we are continuously bombarded with people’s thoughts and ideas about just about everything. Things that in ages past seemed basic logic or irreputable fact are no longer embraced as truth. Fortunately, today’s readings shed incredible light upon the actual source of all wisdom and truth. The kind of wisdom we so desperately need as we make our way through this life. These readings provide a comprehensive definition of what true wisdom really is.
Our first reading is found in the book of wisdom. Much like love is clearly outlined in the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians, here we are led through a litany of what wisdom looks like and how to recognize true wisdom. We see that wisdom is holy, clear, unstained (pure), certain, and incredibly beneficial, among other characteristics. These adjectives clearly point us to the source of all wisdom - God. The initial definition of wisdom is followed by a deeper description, including terms such as all-powerful, all-seeing, and pervading all spirits. Little thought is needed to conclude that true wisdom is the essence of our God. Wisdom is really “an aura of the might of God and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty”. While we fall short of this supernatural definition of wisdom, it certainly lies at the heart of our lifelong sanctification goal of becoming more like Jesus. To live a life filled with His fruit.
So then how are we to recognize and apply wisdom when we are bombarded with so many viewpoints, some of which are actually the antithesis of wisdom. Psalm 119, among many other clear admonitions throughout the bible provides a succinct answer to where to go to find truth and wisdom – God’s Word. We are reminded that His “word is for ever”, that it’s “truth endures” through all generations. These characteristics clearly point us to God. They shed light and provide understanding – the pathway leading to the kind of life that God has in mind for each of us.
Today’s Alleluia provides insight as to how wisdom is achieved – simply remaining in God as He remains in us! Selecting and staying faithfully engaged in the plan He has designed specifically for each of us will require much wisdom - biblical wisdom. The only way that we can hope to avoid detours along that road is to stay engaged with the Bible, testing everything life throws at us against His holy Word. Relying upon His continual guidance. Only then will we be able to bear the kind of fruit our Savior has envisioned for us since before the start of time.
Lest we seek wisdom for its sake alone, the Gospel for today paints a clear picture of what we are to do with God’s wisdom. Recognizing that “Behold the kingdom of God is among you.” That truth reminds us that we must be an active part of His kingdom every moment of every day. Using His wisdom and truth to bear fruit through our lives. Jesus reminds us that we can expect many trials and distractions. Certainly, keeping our focus upon and relying upon God and His will for us is our only hope. His wisdom clears away all the clutter in our lives and helps us maintain our focus upon our Savior.
Prayers
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for your holy Word - the source of all truth. Your wisdom is so desperately needed in the mixed-up world we find ourselves in. We need your wisdom to help us maintain our focus upon you. Help us to be an effective part of your kingdom – to be a light bearing much fruit - all of which points to you alone.
In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen
My mysterious Lord, Your Kingdom is everywhere, all around us and within us. I do believe. Give me the eyes of faith so that I may continually perceive Your hand at work. May I always be attentive to all that You wish to reveal to me and open to the deep meaning of the mysteries You do reveal. Increase my faith, dear Lord, so that I may know You and join in the upbuilding of Your glorious Kingdom. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus Christ, may your kingdom come and may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Be the Ruler of my heart and the Master of my life that I may always live in the freedom of your love and truth.
Lord, I offer to You all my work and my talents. Use them for Your glory. Help me to have true zeal for Your Kingdom and to work tirelessly for Your glory. Jesus, I desire to be an instrument of Your perfect Mercy in the world. Use me as You will. Jesus, I trust in You.
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