Daily Readings - Thu Nov 11 2021
Wisdom
22For in her is the spirit of understanding: holy, singular, manifold, subtle, perceptive, lively, chaste, reliable, gracious, loving, good, astute, who forbids nothing beneficial23humane, kind, steadfast, trustworthy, secure, having all virtue, watching for all things and grasping all things with a pure and most delicate understanding of spirit24For wisdom is more active than all active things, yet she reaches everywhere because of her purity25For she is a breath of the virtue of God and a genuine emanation from the purity of the almighty God, and therefore nothing unclean can invade her26Indeed, she is the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of the majesty of God, and the image of his goodness27And though she is one, she can do all things; and, unchanging in herself, she renews all things, and throughout the nations she conveys herself to holy souls, establishing them as friends and prophets of God28For God loves none but those who dwell with wisdom29For she is more spectacular than the sun, and above the array of all the stars; compared with the light, she is found to be before it30Indeed, after her comes night, but wisdom will not be overcome by malice
Luke
20Then he was questioned by the Pharisees: "When does the kingdom of God arrive?" And in response, he said to them: "The kingdom of God arrives unobserved21And so, they will not say, ‘Behold, it is here,’ or ‘Behold, it is there.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.22And he said to his disciples: "The time will come when you will desire to see one day of the Son of man, and you will not see it23And they will say to you, ‘Behold, he is here,’ and ‘Behold, he is there.’ Do not choose to go out, and do not follow them24For just as lightning flashes from under heaven and shines to whatever is under heaven, so also will the Son of man be in his day25But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of wisdom and the presence of God’s kingdom in our lives. In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, we encounter a beautiful hymn to wisdom, portrayed as a divine, life-giving force that permeates all creation. Wisdom is described as holy, manifold, and ever-active, a pure emanation of God’s virtue. She is the brightness of eternal light, the mirror of God’s majesty, and the image of his goodness. This passage emphasizes that wisdom is not just an abstract concept but a living, dynamic presence that renews all things and dwells in the hearts of the righteous.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees and his disciples about the kingdom of God. He challenges their expectations, insisting that the kingdom does not arrive with observable signs or fanfare. Instead, he says, “The kingdom of God is within you.” This statement shifts our focus from external events to the interior life of faith. Jesus warns against being misled by false claims of the kingdom’s arrival, urging his followers to remain steadfast and not be swayed by distractions. The kingdom, he suggests, is already present in a hidden way, much like the subtle but transformative presence of wisdom in the first reading.
Together, these readings call us to cultivate an inner awareness of God’s presence and wisdom. They remind us that true wisdom and the kingdom of God are not things we can grasp or observe from afar but are instead the fruit of a deep, personal relationship with God. As we navigate the challenges of daily life, we are invited to seek wisdom in prayer, to trust in God’s providence, and to recognize the kingdom of God at work in the world around us. May we open our hearts to the gentle yet powerful presence of God’s wisdom and allow it to transform us, that we may live as true friends and prophets of God.