Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“We speak a wisdom to those who are mature, not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away.” These are words coming from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians in today’s second reading.
This is coming from a former Pharisee, someone taught by the best minds of the Jewish legal and theological establishment. We can wonder what impact these words might have had on the mixed audience of Corinth in those days. It was a trading city where people were always looking for the best deal. Would this lawyer originally from Tarsus have any traction for the people of that city?
Paul’s message to them and to us has stood the test of time, proclaiming that true wisdom transforms hearts and minds. Someone can be worldly smart and successful but that does not make them wise. The sign of true wisdom is whether the decisions made elevate the mind and heart to the highest values and invite all who are affected by those decisions to reach beyond their present values.
Where did St. Paul get that kind of wisdom? The whole world has come to know about his conversion when he encountered the person of Jesus on that road to Damascus. After his baptism by Ananias the power of the Holy Spirit transformed his understanding of the Good News of Jesus and the Christian community. Something drastic happened that caused Paul of Tarsus to redirect his energy and enthusiasm. He became the Apostle to the Gentiles.
Building on the nature of wisdom, perhaps the defining word which captures the inner transformation as taught in today’s Gospel is the word integrity. This is a word that does not allow political spin, or hidden meanings for personal advantage. We are reminded of the old saying: “Say what you mean, and mean what you say.” That’s calling out the truth.
In our fast-paced world, when so much of our communication is happening at the speed of light, tt might be counter-cultural and necessary to deliberately delay our response to fact check and highlight the integrity of what we say. A few words of truth, wisdom, and integrity may, in the end, be the most powerful force in promoting the common good.
Reflection by Fr. Daniel Petsche, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections