Being Wise as Serpents, Or Using What Wisdom You Have

Reflecting on the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost: One Day after Sunday (Year C)

Scripture (semicontinuous)

Psalter: Psalm 60

Old Testament: Hosea 11:12—12:14

Epistle: Colossians 3:18—4:1

Scripture (complementary)

Psalter: Psalm 127

Old Testament: Ecclesiastes 2:1-17

Epistle: Colossians 3:18—4:1

___

Prayer

Generous Giver,  you pour forth your extravagant bounty  without measure upon your whole creation. Teach us such generosity,  that the fruits of our spirits and the works of our hands may be used for the building of your commonwealth of blessing. Amen.

___

Reflection

So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly, for what can the king’s successor do? Only what has already been done. Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness.

The wise have eyes in their head,

    but fools walk in darkness (Ecclesiastes 2:12-14).

by C.S. Lewis

Prudence means practical common sense, taking the trouble to think out what you are doing and what is likely to come of it. Nowadays most people hardly think of Prudence as one of the ‘virtues’. In fact, because Christ said we could only get into His world by being like children, many Christians have the idea that, provided you are ‘good’, it does not matter being a fool. But that is a misunderstanding. In the first place, as St. Paul points out, Christ never meant that we were to remain children in intelligence: on the contrary. He told us to be not only ‘as harmless as doves’, but also ‘as wise as serpents’. He wants a child's heart, but a grown-up’s head. He wants us to be simple, single-minded, affectionate, and teachable, as good children are; but He also wants every bit of intelligence we have to be alert at its job, and first-class fighting trim. The fact that you are giving money to a charity does not mean that you need not try to find out whether that charity is a fraud or not. The fact that what you are thinking about is God Himself (for example, when you are praying) does not mean that you can be content with the same babyish ideas which you had when you were five-years-old. It is, of course, quite true that God will not love you any less, or have less use for you, if you happen to have been born with a very second-rate brain. He has room for people with very little sense, but He wants every one to use what sense they have.—Mere Christianity

PRAYER: Generous God,  in abundance you give us things both spiritual and physical.  Help us to hold lightly the fading things of this earth  and grasp tightly the lasting things of your kingdom,  so that what we are and do and say  may be our gifts to you  through Christ, who beckons all to seek the things above,  where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

___

Check out the official website of C.S. Lewis here.