Daily Readings - Thu Nov 16 2023
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 God's presence in our lives. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom describes Wisdom as a divine attribute, personified as a holy, all-pervasive, and life-giving force. It emphasizes Wisdom's role in understanding and guiding human affairs, highlighting her purity and power to renew all things. The Gospel from Luke shifts our focus to Jesus' teaching about the Kingdom of God, which he describes as already present among us, though unseen. He warns against chasing after external signs or distractions, urging his disciples to recognize the Kingdom's presence within themselves.
Both readings share a common theme: the divine is not something distant or observable through outward signs, but rather it is a living, active presence that transforms us from within. Wisdom in the first reading is not just an abstract concept but a dynamic force that orders all things and dwells in holy souls. Similarly, the Kingdom of God in the Gospel is not a future event or a physical place, but a spiritual reality that already resides within those who seek it. Together, these readings remind us that our relationship with God is not about waiting for something to happen externally, but about cultivating an inner awareness of His presence and wisdom.
In our daily lives, this means we should seek God in the ordinary moments and in the depths of our own hearts. Like Wisdom, God's grace is ever-active, guiding us and renewing us if we are open to it. The moral lesson here is one of trust and interior conversion. We are called to live with the confidence that God is always with us, even when His presence is not overtly visible. By nurturing this faith, we can embrace the transformative power of His wisdom and live as true children of the Kingdom, even in the midst of challenges and uncertainties.