Wednesday, September 1, 2010

22nd Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 02-09-10

1 Corinthians 3:18-23 / Luke 5:1-11

Generally speaking, the people who have a keen sense of analytical judgment would have a good standing in the eyes of people.

They are able to give a logical and rational assessment of a risk or a gamble and they lay out the consequences clearly before our eyes.

We would deem these people as wise and so indeed they are.

But in the gospel, Peter would have thought of himself as a fool if he were to follow what Jesus told him to do.

He did reason out a little as to why it would be another futile effort but nonetheless he did as he was told.

Needless to say, the consequences were beyond imagination.

But a more astonishing consequence was that Peter was not only humbled but he even acknowledged  his sinfulness.

Our faith can be explained with reason and is also rationally sound. Even St. Peter would say in 1 Peter 3:15 "always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you have".

Yet, we also proclaim the mystery of faith. It is a faith that goes beyond logic and rational and it is a leap of faith into mystery.

It is in this mystery of faith that we realise that we can be wise only in the ordinary sense of the word but it is God who is Wisdom.

So there is nothing to boast about in the wisdom of man.

God granted wisdom to man so that he can understand that besides logic and rational, there is also the greater mystery of faith.

Without this mystery of faith, then all the wisdom of man will end up in foolishness.