First Reading - Ecclesiasticus 51:17-27
Gospel - Mark 11:27-33
Many times 'wisdom' and 'knowledge' are wrongly equated. A wise person may not be necessarily very knowledgeable or a knowledgeable person may not be necessarily very wise. Therefore, what's wisdom? Sometimes it's called a practical knowledge but certainly it's more than that. It's divine insight that helps us make a choice of what is good in accordance with God's will. The readings invite us today to strive for this wisdom.
The first reading conveys a message of becoming a seeker of wisdom. The author presents his seeking for wisdom right from his youthfulness. The choice of the author seems to be decisive and concrete and to achieve it he makes every effort. The passage highlights the inquisitiveness of author to acquire wisdom by prayers, by observing the Law, and by becoming humble to learn it. He acknowledges that he has grown a lot by doing them. Finally, he receives wisdom from God and he discovers it in purity or innocence of life. As a whole, the emphasis of the author lies in stating that wisdom is a gift that is given to us but we need to discover it and it's certainly found in the purity or innocence of life. All our other efforts help us grow closer to it.
The gospel passage presents to us a dispute scene between Jesus and the leaders. As previously, Jesus had made a commotion by driving out every vendor from the temple, now the leaders demand a valid proof of his action. They demand that Jesus must show his teacher who authorized him for his teaching. In later Judaism, and perhaps already at this time, a rabbi was authorized by his teacher by the imposition of hands, signifying the passing on in the chain of authoritative teaching, much as Paul and Barnabas were authorized by the Antioch community (Acts 13.3). So the scribes and priests and elders were asking who ‘ordained’ Jesus, what chain of authority he claimed. The answer of Jesus may seem petty, a childish tit-for-tat: ‘if you lend me your football you can use my iPod’. It is more than that, a question whether they will accept a divine intervention from outside their own rigid channels. Can God be allowed to break into the circle? The Kingdom of God is not a matter of pure ritual but precisely shatters the framework.
According to the Jewish historian Josephus, John the Baptist had been so highly respected by the people that Herod decided to get rid of him for fear that a rebellion might occur under his leadership. Even so, the religious authorities in the Temple would not grant that he had a message from God. Jesus’ reasoning was that if they would not acknowledge the source of John’s authority there was no point in declaring his own authority.
Dear friends, we do need wisdom to see God's horizon in our lives. As the first reading recounts that it's found in purity or innocence of life. The Jews leaders were knowledgeable and well-versed in the matters of the letters of the law and traditional practices but they failed to find wisdom which could enlighten them to see God's doing even beyong the fixed-framework. The rhetorical question of Jesus about John was meant not to silence them rather enlighten them to see hand of God even beyong the fixed stereotypes. Their failure infact shows their lack of the perception of wisdom.
It's a reminder for us too that our quest for wisdom must drive us to find it. Our ritualistic practices are ways to draw closer to it but we need a disposition that leads to a purity of heart, mind, and life. This infact helps us find wisdom which God offered to us. As the first reading underlines that wisdom is accessible through our purity of life.
Let's pray that we may be able to live a life of purity and discover wisdom which can help us live our lives discerning God's will.
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