We live in the world of uncertainties. Nobody knows for sure the mind of God. Our human nature is precarious, but with wisdom from God, as learnt from the first reading (Wisdom 9:13-18b), our earthly existence makes meaning.
Wisdom is inevitable if we must succeed in every sphere of our existence on earth. To be a disciple of Jesus, as seen from the Gospel (Luke 14:25-33), wisdom requires one to count the cost and make the choice.
Wisdom is not about taking advantage of whatever comes our way; it is about the intrinsic good of people we are dealing with. The second reading from the Letter of St. Paul to Philemon aptly illustrates this. Philemon is a Christian of good standing. Paul knows him, and probably, as a friend. Philemon has a slave named Onesimus. In those days, having slaves was a common practice and it was not viewed in negative terms as we do today.
For some undisclosed reasons, Onesimus runs away from Philemon, his master. He comes in contact with Paul in prison. He becomes very useful to him. As a wise man, Paul places restoring a good relationship between the master and his legitimate slave over retaining Onesimus for his own advantage. He therefore sends Onesimus back to Philemon accompanied with this letter that has become part of the New Testament.
In the letter, Paul explains how he came in contact with Onesimus in prison and how useful he has been to him. He urges Philemon to accept Onesimus back whole heartedly, no longer as a slave but as a brother in Christ. Paul not only reconciles the strained relationship between the slave and his master; he also seeks to restructure that relationship. It is no longer to be a relationship of master and slave but a relationship of brothers in Christ. The relationship is no longer to be built on fear but on friendship and mutual cooperation. Here we see a remarkable footprint of wisdom.
Wisdom edifies. It is not selfish. It is not self-aggrandizement. It builds up and strengthens. A wise man is not only an advantage unto himself; he is an advantage unto whoever and whatever circumstance he comes across. This is what we are called to be as Christians. This is what makes us disciples of Christ.
Happy Sunday, beloved in Christ.
Fr. Kenneth Ahanonu
