Friars Corner: Choosing God’s wisdom
Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR
Wisdom 9:13-18b; Psalm 99:3-6, 12-17; Philemon 9-10,12-17; Luke 14:25-33
Wisdom can be seen in two ways. One as those principles that bring us financial and political success. Spiritual or Godly wisdom is to understand God’s bigger plan (his will for things) for the world and our Christian lives in following Jesus to heaven. As we go over the four scripture readings this weekend, it may seem like someone punched us in our gut and we almost are not able to breathe. So, we pray and ask the Holy Spirit to show us through this “fog.”
There are two final results at the end of our life as to what wisdom we choose: worldly wisdom or God’s wisdom. One will lead us to eternal separation from God’s love as Lucifer and his disciples, angels and humans choose and are continuing to choose. God’s wisdom helps us to choose and stay on God’s road even though it is difficult at times, the rough road and through the narrow gate into paradise. Jesus is our good shepherd and gives us the Holy Trinity’s Spirit to assist us on our journey.
Heaven or Hell?
When we choose Jesus and take up our cross to follow behind Jesus, we know our final destiny is eternal happiness with all the friends of God, his angels and saints in heavenly glory. We all have a certain vocation that we have been called to. That vocation has many responsibilities. The Holy Spirit will continue to guide us and send us some brothers and sisters to help us in God’s family, in some of his churches. Not all parishes offer the same programs. Much depends on the wisdom of the pastor and his team of servant ministries.
Following Jesus does not mean hating or disowning your parents. It doesn’t mean abandoning all your clothes and possessions, walking into the rectory and telling the pastor God wants you to go be a missionary in Iran or China and expecting the church to provide you with everything else. I don’t think so.
With the thousands Jesus, healed, fed and taught, only 120 were set on fire with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. You had 12 apostles, 72 disciple press agents and about 37 women helpers. That is not very many. They all were not following Jesus everywhere, walking along the road, sleeping under bridges with only a knapsack with a few clothes. What about all the other needs of feeding that number a few meals a day?
Your vocation?
What is your current vocation? Do we have a daily personal prayer life? How are we caring for, loving and bringing two different lives together in marriage and caring for the children God gave us to raise? Is God bringing people or situations into our daily life so that we can be his hands taking care of some of their needs? We cannot solve all the problems around us, our parish, city, state, country and the world. God is not asking us to solve all of those problems. What he is asking us to do is help in those situations he presents to us daily or weekly. It may be just saying the positive things that will help a situation.
St. Paul says in Ephesians 4:1-3: “I… urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Your daily prayer and reading some of the New Testament wisdom with bring you some comfort, guidance and joy knowing you are helping Jesus make the world a better place to live in.
Many blessings this week,
(© 2019 Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR)
