Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Obviously, the theme of our readings this weekend has to do with the Second Coming of Christ, and for us to be prepared and not grow weary, and to be ready for when He comes. The wise person is the one who is prepared and awake; and the foolish person is the one who has wasted his or her time, talent, and treasure away, and is taken by surprise when Jesus comes.


The following story is written by Joshua Van Cleef:

Thousands of pilgrims filled St. Peter’s Square on April 9, 2014. Pope Francis commenced a series of teachings on the Holy Spirit, starting with the Holy Spirit and the gift of wisdom. Surrounded by Church officials and television cameras, the pope began his address rather pensively, pacing through his prepared text as the audience silently nodded along to his theological sketch.

Then rather abruptly he departed from the text, looked up, and in Francis’ fashion lobbed a question to the crowd. The question sounded something like this:

Imagine a mother running around after her children all day, attending to their every need. Eventually the mother gets tired, loses her patience, and starts scolding her child. Is that wisdom?

The crowd seemed caught off guard by the question; hardly any response could be heard. With even more gusto, the pope doubled down on the question:

Scolding children — I ask you — is this wisdom? What do you say: is this wisdom or not?

Wasting no time, he shot back with his own answer:

No!

Francis then contrasted wisdom with scolding. Wisdom happens when a tired mother takes her child gently aside, addressing the child patiently and lovingly. That is what the wisdom of God looks like.


During this teaching, Pope Francis offered the Church a definition of wisdom that today we hear unfolding in our scriptures. He said,

Wisdom is precisely this: it is the grace of being able to see everything with the eyes of God. This is wisdom.

Today we are invited to grow in wisdom:

  1. To see God as God is
  2. To see the world, ourselves, and one another through God’s eyes
  3. And, to live accordingly

Stay awake… be prepared… be ready!!

For the Bridegroom is coming!

Readings for Sunday, November 8, 2020