“But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.…[read more]
“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.” Matthew 11:18-19 Most of us are…[read more]
For wisdom is a kindly spirit, / yet she does not acquit blasphemous lips; Because God is the witness of the inmost self / and the sure observer of the heart / and the listener to the tongue. Wisdom 1:6 He said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the…[read more]
Alas, the day! / for near is the day of the Lord, / and it comes as ruin from the Almighty.Blow the trumpet in Zion, / sound the alarm on my holy mountain! / Let all who dwell in the land tremble, / for the day of the Lord is coming; / Yes, it is…[read more]
It is somewhat striking that in our time we speak so little, and even think so little, of an aspiration to become wise. For much of humanity’s history, cultures and societies would so desire to identify the wise persons among them and to seek their guidance. These would become revered by their society because of a sense that they knew something about the true significance and purpose of human life and, perhaps, could communicate this wisdom to others. Our society, on the other hand, reveres the wealthy and the powerful. If we look at who is given recognition and memorialization…[read more]
In today’s gospel Jesus, along with Peter, James, and John have just come down from the mountain where the transcendence and glory of God had been made manifest in Jesus. According to Mark the disciples “had become extremely afraid” at this wisdom of God made manifest. It is all far too much for them. It perhaps is not accidental, then, that as they, with Jesus, come down from that experience of what lies beneath “the common, ordinary, unspectacular flow of everyday life,” they encounter an intractable problem. A father has brought to the disciples his son who is possessed by…[read more]
“And this is will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” John 6:39-40 In…[read more]
Thus says the Lord, your redeemer, / the Holy One of Israel: / I, the Lord, your God, / teach you what is for your good, / and lead you on the way you should go.” Isaiah 48:17 “But wisdom is vindicated by her works.” Matthew 11:19 Today Isaiah tells us that God will teach…[read more]
The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: / a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, / a Spirit of counsel and of strength, / a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, / and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord. / Not by appearance shall he judge, /…[read more]
When the king had spoken with all of them, none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and so they entered the king’s service. In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom. Daniel…[read more]
“But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.…[read more]
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