21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?

What is the wisdom of this world? A lot of contemporary “wisdom” seems to revolve around being in control and being the master of your own destiny. It might be slick advertising telling you that you need the newest phone and the fastest internet speed to stay on top of the latest trends. Or it might be in the form of self-help programs telling you to find happiness by taking charge of your life. Either way, power and wisdom seem to be found in self-determination and control.

How different that is from the message of the cross, which reveals to us God’s own wisdom! When Jesus chose not his own will but the will of his Father, he showed us the surpassing wisdom of handing over control to our loving God (Luke 2:42). In surrendering, Jesus trusted in God’s wisdom and his plan to bring salvation to humankind.

Now, we are naturally inclined toward that “wisdom of the world” that urges us toward control and independence. And so sometimes even our attempts to surrender to God are tinged by that drive. We might make a decision impulsively and then ask God to bless what we already did. Or we might take something to prayer but then go ahead with our own plan instead of listening for what God might be saying to us about the situation.

We struggle sometimes because the truth is, it can be scary to surrender to a God whom we can’t see. It can feel risky to let go of control of our lives. That’s why St. Paul says the message of the cross is “foolishness” to the Greeks who prized wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:22-23). But remember, for us who are being saved, it is the power of God (1:18). When we hand control over to our heavenly Father, we can trust that, in his goodness and his love, he will take care of us and bring the best out of any situation.

Today, let’s take one more step closer to a full surrender to God. Let’s make just a little more progress toward living according to the surpassing wisdom of God.

“Lord, help me to learn the ‘foolish’ wisdom of the cross and surrender to your will.

1 Corinthians 1:17-25
Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11
Matthew 25:1-13