Sirach 15:15-20 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 Matthew 5:17-37 (with optional short version)
Today’s readings have a lot to say about following God’s commands and laws. Each author also writes about divine wisdom.
In the reading from Sirach, we can trace an evolution in thought, as the Israelites are now being told that ritual actions are not as important as right (correct) living. Following the commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai, and trusting in God - that is the heart of the “law” as Sirach understands it. This suggests that living properly has to do with working for the common good, serving, and acting justly! Immense is the wisdom of the Lord.
Wisdom is a major theme for St. Paul today as well, in his First Letter to the Corinthians. And he too notes the tremendous wisdom of the Lord. It is not a wisdom of this age - meaning that it is not the wisdom of the secular world - but a mature and sometimes mysterious wisdom, that only those who truly love and serve the Lord can understand. Paul strongly implies that, since this divine wisdom is a gift from the Holy Spirit, those who possess it should be humble, not prideful - grateful, not haughty.
In my personal prayer, I often refer to the Holy Spirit as the source of wisdom and counsel. This divine wisdom helps me know what to say and do in a specific situation; while divine counsel helps me know when and how to impart such wisdom. These are powerful gifts - and God honors those who try to act in a godly fashion by using them. Pray, on a regular basis, for God’s wisdom and counsel - and for the courage to use those gifts to give glory and honor to the Lord.
by: Bill Miller