Divine wisdom

As we near the end of the Liturgical Year, the Church reminds us to keep watch and stay ready as the liturgy appropriately draws us to two basic spiritual realities: Wisdom and the Kingdom of God.

Wisdom is rightfully given a place of honor in the First Reading. Wisdom does not impose herself but is gracious to all who desire her and reaches out to those who want her.

Wisdom is one of those gifts of the Holy Spirit to everyone who cares. That is why we should ask God for Wisdom in order to make the right decisions, not based only on policies, directives, or what we can see, hear or feel.

We definitely need wisdom to better understand the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is a state of inner consciousness and not a specific physical place. That is why we always read in the New Testament that “the Kingdom of Heaven” is at hand, meaning it is already in us, within us.

The Gospel passage about the ten bridesmaids — five of whom were foolish and five wise — is one of the options that can be chosen for a funeral Mass. It shows us the importance of remaining vigilant in our faith. We do not know the day or the hour of the Lord’s return, but we know His arrival is certain.

Let us entrust ourselves to the Wisdom of God in following His path and having faith in His providence. We should always keep in mind that everything that we say and do — even whatever it is that we have not done and failed to do — all these will be asked of us, and they shall weigh either for us or against us on the day of the Last Judgment.

We can learn from the Gospel parable of the ten bridesmaids that the difference between the wise and the foolish was not just that they waited, but that the wise ones brought extra oil for their lamps.

Oil represents the personal, lived habits of faith that are prayer, love, charity and grace. And these habits cannot be borrowed at the last minute from someone else. Oil, which burns to make the light, indicates the same thing as light. Goodness cannot be irresponsibly ignored; it cannot be borrowed.

May the Lord continue to help and guide us all in our journey of faith throughout our lives, and may He continue to impart His Wisdom upon each and every one of us so that through His Wisdom, all of us may be better able to discern carefully our choice of path in life.

And may we be more careful and vigilant in our choice of actions, words and deeds so that we do not end up falling into the wrong path, into the temptations to sin by disobedience against God.

Let us all turn toward the Lord and focus once again upon His Wisdom, Truth and Love.