Readings:
1 Corinthians 1: 26-31
Matthew 25: 14-30
Reflection:
Paul talks about the disciples of Jesus as not being ‘wise by human standards or powerful or of noble birth’.
Today, those who have fame, or are given fame, are those who are looked up to and have enormous influence in society – whether that fame comes from being very rich, or because of perceived beauty or being a sports’ star or some equivalent to that.
But Paul says that the power that comes from fame has nothing to do with the power of the Cross, the power given us by Christ. Everything we have comes from God, from Christ. His wisdom isn’t our looking for fame or being well known or seeking to be well liked – the wisdom of the Cross is seeing ourselves as we really are, and that with all the riches that we have in Christ, and all the frailty that each of us has, we are called to serve each other.
True wisdom then is knowing that any ability we may have to place our trust in God, to trust the presence of Christ in us, and in others, is a gift from God. Any ability we may have to look toward the future with hope, whether that future be the next moment, or the next decade, is a gift from the Word. Most of all, any ability we have so that we can respect and appreciate each other, is a gift from Christ.
As the church we are called to that reflect that Wisdom, even with all our frailty and failures.
Fr. Tony has spent his 58 years of priesthood working in Australia and PNG with novices and students who have been called to the Passionist way of life, ministering in parishes, in the giving retreats and in spiritual direction.