A REFLECTION OF ETERNAL LIGHT…

Wisdom of Solomon 7:22-30,8:1

22 for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me. For in her there is a spirit that is intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, clear, unpolluted, distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen, irresistible,
23 beneficent, humane, steadfast, sure, free from anxiety, all-powerful, overseeing all, and penetrating through all spirits that are intelligent and pure and most subtle.
24 For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.
25 For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.
26 For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness.
27 Though she is but one, she can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she renews all things; in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God, and prophets;
28 for God loves nothing so much as the man who lives with wisdom.
29 For she is more beautiful than the sun, and excels every constellation of the stars. Compared with the light she is found to be superior,30 for it is succeeded by the night, but against wisdom evil does not prevail.
1 She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other, and she orders all things well.

Luke 17:20-25

20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed;
21 nor will they say, ‘Lo, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you will not see it.
23 And they will say to you, ‘Lo, there!’ or ‘Lo, here!’ Do not go, do not follow them.
24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of man be in his day.
25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

MEDITATION

THE BOOK OF SOLOMON ennumerate the characteristics of a virtuous person who seek divine wisdom and righteousness. From a typological perspective wisdom appears to be the gift of the Holy Spirit or ‘shekina’ that is bestowed upon the Church; a “spotless mirror of the working of God” and the purveyor of divine knowledge that transforms and benefits those who desire to please God.

THE GOSPEL READING: Despite their witnessing the miraculous healing of the ten lepers brought about by the mere instruction of Christ, the Pharisees again displayed their ignorance and wilful blindness such that they did not recognize that Christ is the reflection of God’s eternal light, that transforms and gives us direction, meaning and purpose. 

Catec 541 “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying: ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe in the gospel.'” “To carry out the will of the Father Christ inaugurated the kingdom of heaven on earth.” Now the Father’s will is “to raise up men to share in his own divine life”. He does this by gathering men around his Son Jesus Christ. This gathering is the Church, “on earth the seed and beginning of that kingdom”.

Catec 2819 “The kingdom of God [is] righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The end-time in which we live is the age of the outpouring of the Spirit. Ever since Pentecost, a decisive battle has been joined between “the flesh” and the Spirit.Only a pure soul can boldly say: “Thy kingdom come.” One who has heard Paul say, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies,” and has purified himself in action, thought and word will say to God: “Thy kingdom come!”

LET US PRAY:  Psalms 119:89-91,130,135,175
89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is firmly fixed in the heavens.90 Thy faithfulness endures to all generations; thou hast established the earth, and it stands fast.
91 By thy appointment they stand this day; for all things are thy servants.130 The unfolding of thy words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.135 Make thy face shine upon thy servant, and teach me thy statutes.
175 Let me live, that I may praise thee, and let thy ordinances help me.

Author. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.