I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you concealed these things from the sophisticated and educated and revealed them to ordinary folks.

 

Wednesday, October 11, 2023


Psalms 95; 96

1 Kings 21

Matthew 11:25-12:8


Observances: Canice (Kenneth), bishop and abbot (d. c. 600); Ethelburga, abbess of Barking (d. 675); James the deacon, companion of Paulinus (d. unknown)


I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you concealed these things from the sophisticated and educated and revealed them to ordinary folks.


There are two types of study; two types of learning. We see this in the field of pedagogy: some children are made to learn by rote, while others are taught under models that attempt to move towards critical thought. Nothing is worth learning as much as wisdom, however.


Wisdom is a spiritual intelligence. We all know about intellectual intelligence, and perhaps have heard of the test now available for emotional intelligence. But spiritual intelligence – wisdom – is the intelligence that can be learnt, and to which we should all aspire. The intellectual pursuit gives us multi-syllabic words; emotional awareness shows us when someone is happy or sad. But wisdom teaches us what is worth putting into our head in the first place, and gives us power over our emotions.


We can almost hear the exasperation in Jesus’ voice as the self-designated keepers of the Law call Him out with such silly questions like the one about eating wheat on the Sabbath. The God of the universe doesn’t care if the bureaucratic form is filled out correctly, He cares if you have love in your heart. We study the teachings of the Bible not so that we can pass an exam, but so that we can learn how to love better. We love God; here is where we learn more about the One we love. God wants us to love one another; here is where we learn what that love looks like, so that we can do it.


Wisdom before God is sitting in sackcloth and ashes, repenting over our sin. Wisdom reaches down out of heaven and takes that burden from us. Wisdom lifts us by the hand and kisses us on the cheek; the kiss of forgiveness. Wisdom carries that burden with us, so that we may return home, where all our friends will be waiting for us, where we will call out to one another “sing a new song to the Lord!”


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