Daily Retreat 11/15/07
2007 Nov 15 Thu/ Albert the Great, bp, r, dr
Wis 7:22b – 8:1/ Ps 118(119):89. 90. 91. 130. 135. 175/ Lk 17:20-25
From today’s readings: “For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom.... Your word is for ever, O Lord.... For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in His day....”
Worldly Wiseman or Heavenly Wisemen?
Even in the smallest town library, you will see shelves of thousands of books (my modest parish library itself contains hundreds of books!). So many books - no one person can read them all! And this, of course, is just a tiny snapshot of the dilemma posed by the “information explosion” - we have tools and opportunities to learn so much, but how do we decide what we’re going to spend our time learning?
The biggest danger present in this quandary is the temptation to be satisfied with a wide sampling of many diverse things, and a reluctance to focus on what is crucial. The “Worldly Wiseman” character in Pilgrim’s Progress personifies what happens when a person buys into this temptation. Worldly Wiseman enjoys an eclectic, liberal education - he has an open mind, he’s up-to-date in every field, and he’s at ease in every social circle. He even has the crowning touch of the new ideal of a Renaissance man - a dash of religion and faith in his life. In spite of all these “merits,” Worldly Wiseman is hopelessly shallow in all the things that count!
The alternative is to strive to become a “Heavenly Wiseman” - a person who places his primary priority on pursuit of divine Wisdom, instead of settling for a diet of the variety of worldly goods and novelties. Why limit your focus to just one thing? The Book of Wisdom limns and portrays in splendid detail the multi-faceted beauty and worth of divine Wisdom, and the sacred scripture insists that nothing else comes close in value - even light (which reveals other beauties) fades, so “compared to light, she (Wisdom) takes precedence....”
Of your plans for today, which endeavors count as “pursuit of divine Wisdom” and which activities are simply secular? Since divine Wisdom is so pre-eminent, why waste time learning to become merely a “Worldly Wiseman” when the Bible teaches us how to become “Heavenly Wisemen”?
Wis 7:22b – 8:1/ Ps 118(119):89. 90. 91. 130. 135. 175/ Lk 17:20-25
From today’s readings: “For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom.... Your word is for ever, O Lord.... For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in His day....”
Worldly Wiseman or Heavenly Wisemen?
Even in the smallest town library, you will see shelves of thousands of books (my modest parish library itself contains hundreds of books!). So many books - no one person can read them all! And this, of course, is just a tiny snapshot of the dilemma posed by the “information explosion” - we have tools and opportunities to learn so much, but how do we decide what we’re going to spend our time learning?
The biggest danger present in this quandary is the temptation to be satisfied with a wide sampling of many diverse things, and a reluctance to focus on what is crucial. The “Worldly Wiseman” character in Pilgrim’s Progress personifies what happens when a person buys into this temptation. Worldly Wiseman enjoys an eclectic, liberal education - he has an open mind, he’s up-to-date in every field, and he’s at ease in every social circle. He even has the crowning touch of the new ideal of a Renaissance man - a dash of religion and faith in his life. In spite of all these “merits,” Worldly Wiseman is hopelessly shallow in all the things that count!
The alternative is to strive to become a “Heavenly Wiseman” - a person who places his primary priority on pursuit of divine Wisdom, instead of settling for a diet of the variety of worldly goods and novelties. Why limit your focus to just one thing? The Book of Wisdom limns and portrays in splendid detail the multi-faceted beauty and worth of divine Wisdom, and the sacred scripture insists that nothing else comes close in value - even light (which reveals other beauties) fades, so “compared to light, she (Wisdom) takes precedence....”
Of your plans for today, which endeavors count as “pursuit of divine Wisdom” and which activities are simply secular? Since divine Wisdom is so pre-eminent, why waste time learning to become merely a “Worldly Wiseman” when the Bible teaches us how to become “Heavenly Wisemen”?
posted by FrPitstick | 11/13/2007
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