Friday of the
Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
(Wisdom 13:1-9; Luke 17:26-37)
On cold autumn days one may be inclined to worship the
sun. Its warm rays bring a modicum of
comfort, and its brightness cheers up the prospect of a long, cold winter. Who is not grateful for these gifts? The sun benefits humans in manifold ways. It brings about the growth of food and
provides energy that makes contemporary civilization possible. Nevertheless, today’s first reading from the
Book of Wisdom critiques sun worshippers as not looking deep enough into
reality.
Wisdom was written in part to assure the Jews of ancient Alexandria
of the worth of their religious tradition.
It finds wanting the tenets of scientific inquiry when compared with the
values of biblical faith. Heavenly
bodies, it concludes, are hardly worth human credence. One must look beyond material substance to
find the omnipotent, spiritual cause for existence.
Many scientists today do not look for a God. They see no need for a first cause that put
creation in motion. But even if such a
creator exists -- they say -- it could hardly be the personal God of the
Judeo-Christian tradition. We, however,
know by faith that God loves each one of us, even those who do not believe in
Him. We sense the truth of St. Paul’s belief
that God makes all things to work out for the good of those who love Him. Now, as today’s gospel has it, we await his
coming to prove us right.
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