In our world today we are weighed down by many uncertainties, moral, religious, economic and political problems because we have neglected the word of God, which is the wisdom to live healthy in peace and unity. Many do not consider if their action pleases God or not. The book of proverb 1:7 says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction”. The point here is to humbly seek the will of God and adore him in all that concerns our existence and actions. In one of the homilies of Msgr. John Aniagwu titled “The Primacy of Wisdom” he stated that “Wisdom is a highly priced commodity in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament.
In fact, it is valued so much that an entire book of the Old Testament is devoted to it as seen in today’s first reading. In the Old Testament, the people see Wisdom as the greatest thing any rational minded person could possess. As such, it was a fervent object of prayer to God. Today’s liturgy focuses strongly on the “what is” and “who is” the Wisdom of life. In our daily experience we see many people with the zeal, desire, zest, enthusiasm and ambition to acquire success or to be awarded first position in their endeavours of life.
his idea on its own is definitely not morally wrong, but the question that should be pertinent for us is the motive plunging the ambition of what we do in life. Is it selfish or selfless? Is it glorifying God or aimed at self-glory? Does it promote goodness or it fosters deceit and immorality? Scripture tells us that “there is a way that seems right unto a man but the end thereof leads to destruction” (Prov. 14:12).
As Christians we are called to imitate Christ and follow His word of life. For this reason the Psalmists tells us to “behold the Lord, who is the upholder of our life”. It is clear that Jesus has offered us the best way to live and be helped, but our conflicting human desires and passions keep us staggering in our life-choices. Sometimes the unguided craving for things have led many of us to do unimaginable things. This is why as human beings, the wisdom of God should not be taken for granted or look away as we journey in life. The letter of St James today tells us that “where selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice”.
Also, a writer once stated that “the corridors of history are littered with much destruction, pain and suffering because of the unrestrained lust for power, position and glory.” This leads to bitter conflicts, unnecessary arguments and unhealthy competitions as seen in the actions and discussions of the disciples before Jesus cautioned their inner motives. If our motives of life are not checked and balanced in humility it might lead to destruction. To this end, Jesus admonishes us in today’s Gospel “if any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all”.
That is, in order to achieve greatness in life we should be ready to serve God and our neighbours without reservation. The wisdom behind Christianity is all about the ambition of serving God and humanity as Christ has fully shown us. My dear Friends in Christ, the wisdom of God is not a commodity to be acquired, but a journey to be embarked upon. It is not a destination to be reached, but a divine process to be engaged in. Hence, this glorious gift of wisdom is not something we earn or deserve, but a divine gift God freely gives to us. Sometimes in our own lives, we can become greatly misled when we use the gift of our human reason in a rigid and narrow way. Sometimes we tend to be ambitious about what life has to offer and get ourselves involved in what the world and our fleshy passion drives us to.
We must not water down our faith and morals, and we must never think that we will easily be able to arrive at all the answers of life by our own effort. Our constant goal must be to allow our minds to become fully immersed in the deepest wisdom of God and all that He has revealed. The teachings of the Church will guide us, keep us on the straight path and will be the voice of God speaking to our minds in a real and personal way, that will help us to understand the depth and breadth of God’s Will, His Truth, and His Wisdom. Dear people of God, What problem has been weighing you down? Ask God now for His wisdom and He will show you the solution you have been looking for.
