Open to Wisdom
Fr. Donald Macdonald, SMM
One of the reasons why Karl Stern the Jewish psychiatrist, was drawn to the Church was in observing the wisdom of the simple Catholic. He moved for a time in rich, highly intellectual circles, but so often observed in the Catholic maid or servant an understanding of life and its issues which escaped their more formally educated employers. He found too that highly educated Catholics who lived their faith shared the wisdom of the maid or servant. Essentially, they spoke the same language. Such wisdom, he felt, came from their common life in the Catholic Church.
Wisdom, as distinct from simply academic knowledge, has a long history going back to the Wisdom writings and traditions of the Old Testament world. Wisdom was a guide to a worthwhile life. In the Old Testament, therefore, it centered on God since finding and following the will of God in God’s world was obviously primary for a meaningful life. Wisdom was meant to show that God is present in life, and in so far as I open myself to his guidance, I shall find meaning and purpose. A beautiful picture is drawn through the figure of Wisdom, of God delighting in his creation. He is present to call me to himself and show me how to live. Opportunities for guidance are there if only I choose to take them. It was this conviction that there is meaning in life, especially when things go wrong, which attracted Stern to some of the Catholics he met who tried to live their faith.
A lovely illustration of this in practice can be found in the gospel of St. Luke, in the story of the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus, we are told, “was a chief tax collector and rich” (19:2), and so was open to the many opportunities for corruption and cheating which his position would put in his way. Such men had no credibility. Presumably, only colleagues would visit their homes. Few would speak to his wife or play with his children, since cheating the local people was thought to be inevitable in his job. Such a man’s word would not be taken in a court of law.
He wanted to see Jesus, but because he was small and the numbers of people around Jesus, he was unable to do so. “So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him…” (19:4) . Then we see Jesus in the role of Wisdom showing just how God is present in life if only we are open to him. Despite the crowd Jesus saw him and called out: “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your home today” (19:5) . Zacchaeus could scarcely believe his good fortune and hurried down “and received him joyfully” (19:6.
True Wisdom
Jesus’ approach was superb. Here is Wisdom in the person of Jesus going out to find the man and so attractively inviting himself into his home and life. The point was not lost on Zacchaeus although it was on the crowd watching this: “he has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner” (19:7). To dine at that man’s table should give Jesus indigestion. Did he not appreciate that Zacchaeus’ house and furniture, food and clothing were, in the main, paid for by using his position as chief of tax collectors to cheat? He was providing a meal with money taken illegally from another’s pocket.
The crowd’s comment was understandable but not wise. God is present here. As the authentic Wisdom teacher, Jesus is out and about inviting people back to God and proper living. Jesus knows Zacchaeus’ back-ground very well, but does not want him left in such isolation from God and the people around him.
Painting: The Blessed Virgin and Child Embracing: Italian Painter Giovanni Battista Salvi (1609 -1685)
After concluding the series: Dare to Be Wisdom, which can be found here, Fr. Macdonald, SMM authored this article.
Just a note on the painting: Note St. Joseph in the background.
“ . . . This devotion, if well practiced, not only draws Jesus Christ, Eternal Wisdom, into our soul, but also makes it agreeable to Him and He remains there to the end of our life. . . . ”
The wonder and practicality of what this presence of God means is unforgettably expressed in Jesus who “came to seek and save the lost: (19:10). No one is beyond hope, and whoever is enlightened by Jesus’ wisdom will try to believe this. How valuable this insight is whether it is a matter of my own personal position or of someone else. “I must stay at your house today”, was Jesus’ initiative with Zacchaeus, and will be with me, mine and all of us, given an opening. It is wise to believe that at the core of reality is God giving himself in Christ. To the extent that I am graced to realize that I am lost, no matter how slight the insight may be, the opening is there for the beginning of a wiser approach to life.
New Perspective
Without any formal lesson from Jesus, Zacchaeus learned a lot from him. The approach of Jesus gave him the wisdom to glimpse himself in the eyes of God, and he is won over. He is wanted, accepted and allowed to make a contribution in the gift of himself as a human being.
More particularly, in the light of Jesus’ presence, he is given the wisdom to see without being told, that change is necessary if he is to continue to live in this light: “the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold” (19:8). Without chalk, pen or paper Jesus brought him to see what he must do, and gave him the wisdom to do it.
Reflecting on such an experience after having put himself out to see Jesus, Zacchaeus could believe that he is responding to the Wisdom tradition: “Does not Wisdom call . . . beside the way, along the paths… Take my instruction instead of silver . . . and . . . gold for Wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her . . . those who seek me gently find me” (Prov.8:1-21). As he tried to see Jesus along the road he was given the insight to welcome Wisdom into his life and a possible opening into the future where he may come to realize that, “he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord” (Prov.8:35).
It is, of course, one thing to welcome a new perspective, quite something else to hold on to it. For a Montfortian or any one open to St. Louis Marie de Montfort’s influence, this may suggest one of the main reasons why he so favored devotion to Our Lady. She can help us keep what we have been given in Christ Wisdom. He saw it this way:
“This devotion, if well practiced, not only draws Jesus Christ, Eternal Wisdom, into our soul, but also makes it agreeable to him and he remains there to the end of our life. To be then in some way wiser than Solomon, we should place in Mary’s care all that we possess and the treasure of treasures, Jesus Christ, that she may keep him for us. We are too fragile to contain this precious treasure . . . and we have had too many sad experiences . . . Let us be distrustful of our own wisdom and fervor . . . Mary is wise: let us place everything in her hands” (LEW 220~222).
Unbroken attachment to God’s will gave meaning to Our Lady’s life on earth. It is surely wise to be open to her influence now while we are on earth.
