Our Own Understanding vs. God's Wisdom

Twenty-eighth Sunday in

Ordinary Time

10 October 2021 

 

First Reading: WIS 7:7-11

Responsorial Psalm: PS 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

Second Reading: HEB 4:12-13

Gospel: MK 10:17:30 or 10:17-27

 

Reflection

By: Bernard Borja

 

How often do we really discern, and beg for the grace of wisdom from God, in our decisions in life? And how seldom do we listen, and acknowledge the movements of the Spirit, for us to respond to God's call?

It is very common nowadays for people to say that their decisions in life are based on "God's Will". We can even see people who use bible verses for them to justify and convince other people that they are obeying God's commandments. While it is good that we follow and obey God, do we also check if our intention to follow is only for ourselves? Do we carefully listen when we pray, "Give US this day OUR daily bread and forgive US OUR trespasses..." and that God wants us to live for others?

Jesus taught us that following and observing God's commandments must not only be for our own benefit. We cannot say we fully observe the commandment "you shall not kill" if we agree on laws on which taking a life is justified as necessary. One cannot say that he or she does not steal, if he or she helps a person who steals to justify that the person did it for the common good. Same thing with sharing information on the internet that are pure lies (like what the so-called trolls do), we are not really obeying the commandment that we shall not bear false witness if we do this. When we do not go through a process of discernment of asking for God's wisdom in our decisions, our intentions become our own goals alone and only for our benefit. It also becomes worse when we already have a sense of what God wants but we still choose to pursue our own understanding. In the Gospel today, the man who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, still chose to live for himself even when Jesus already told him what he needs to do.

Oftentimes, we ask God for wisdom especially in our decisions. But when we hear God's voice, we harden our hearts because we still forget to trust Him. Jesus knew that the man lacks trust in God. He offered the man an opportunity to deeply understand that God's commandments are not to be observed selfishly, but obeying means we also keep in mind other people's benefits. Jesus assured us that there is no one who has given up anything for His sake who will not receive a hundred times more of heaven's treasures. We only need to trust in His words and to listen carefully in our prayers. As the letter to the Hebrews says, the Word of God is able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. God continues to listen to our prayers and knows deeply the desires of our hearts. This is why we need to trust and acknowledge that we need God's wisdom in our decisions in life, and for us to say that we are really observing and obeying God's commandments.

Prayer

 

Send us Your Spirit, dear Lord for us to know the path that we need to take, to follow Jesus closely. We beg for the grace of Your wisdom, for us to be more trusting to You as we respond to Your calling. Grant us a pure heart, so that we may learn to live for others as we observe and obey Your commandments not for ourselves, but for the good of all. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.