In the first reading from the book of Colossians today, Saint Paul continues the theme of wisdom and knowledge that Sunday’s scriptures talked about as well. These two readings are not really related to each other, other than the fact that wisdom is a timeless treasure, and that all genuine wisdom comes from God and is a gift of grace that He gives to those whom He has chosen. The word of God contains mysteries that have been hidden throughout the ages and generations but is revealed to the saints. Sometimes the truth is right before our eyes all along, but it takes God to open our eyes and heart to understand His word through His viewpoint and not our own.
Don’t you just love this verse in the first reading? “It is he whom we proclaim.” Catholics proclaim Christ in so many ways, in spontaneous little ways, like small acts of service to others, or in a person’s entire life’s sacrifice like our clergy and religious do. Marriages and families also proclaim Christ through all the little things that occur in family life as well. The first reading goes on to tell of “warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” Families are called to correct and teach their children in keeping with our Catholic beliefs. This does not just occur through the Church’s religious observances or through Catholic schools and religious education classes though. Our faith is often taught best by our own example in everyday life. Our actions should reinforce our words, even if imperfectly at times. In the first reading Saint Paul says “I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love”. We should strive to encourage one another and be united in love within our families, in addition to teaching and correcting our children. A healthy balance of love and correction is good for healthy families.
A healthy balance is something that was foreign to the Pharisees and scribes at the time of Jesus. They were overly concerned with strict rules and observances and lacking in love for other people. It is so easy for us to lose perspective in our religious practices too sometimes, especially parents of small children. The rules are important, but so is the child.
Christ chose the person before him who was in need of his love and attention, over the rules or accepted norms of his time. Jesus simply loved the person in front of him. That person and their suffering was what was important. He alleviated people’s suffering everywhere he went and did not cause additional suffering, like the scribes and Pharisees did with the strictness of their rules.
Jesus infuriated the religious leaders of his time, willingly, in order to do the right thing. As so often is the case with Christ, he did the right thing and allowed others to handle their own emotions. It cost him his life, to do the right thing though. Hopefully, none of us will ever be called upon to do what is right and just and it end up costing us our own life, but it could happen. Never the less, what is right, is right, and we should never allow anyone else to lead us from the truth. Just because others object to the truth, does not mean we should succumb to what they say. Those in authority over us do not always understand God’s truth and are not the final authority in our lives. Jesus Christ is our final authority.
