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Thursday 12 November 2009

Feast of Josaphat (Year B)

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Josaphat, a bishop, a martyr. He died a martyr when he tried to bring some of the congregation back to the Roman Catholic Church. He had supporters but also many more opposers. He was killed for a noble cause. But was he wise to insist returning to the Catholic Church?
Wisdom is a lofty topic. I am afraid I am not qualified enough to talk about her. Try to explain the following line.
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,
beneficent, humane, steadfast, sure, free from anxiety, all-powerful, overseeing all, and penetrating through all spirits that are intelligent and pure and most subtle

Ἔστιν γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ πνεῦμα νοερόν, ἅγιον, μονογενές, πολυμερές, λεπτόν, εὐκίνητον, τρανόν, ἀμόλυντον, σαφές, ἀπήμαντον, φιλάγαθον, ὀξύ,
ἀκώλυτον, εὐεργετικόν, φιλάνθρωπον, βέβαιον, ἀσφαλές, ἀμέριμνον, παντοδύναμον, πανεπίσκοπον καὶ διὰ πάντων χωροῦν πνευμάτων νοερῶν καθαρῶν λεπτοτάτων.
 (Wisdom 7:22-23).
The author made use of 20 adjectives to describe Wisdom. I am dumbfounded.
Who are qualified to possess Wisdom? Those who are intelligent, pure and most subtle. But why pure?
The author continues to explain just two of these qualities of Wisdom.
For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things
πάσης γὰρ κινήσεως κινητικώτερον σοφία, διήκει δὲ καὶ χωρεῖ διὰ πάντων διὰ τὴν καθαρότητα· (Wisdom 7:24)
I quote them in length simply to show my ignorance. But this verse actually helps me appreciate more one of the Beatitudes.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God
μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται. (Matthew 5:8).
Since pureness allows Wisdom to pervade and penetrate all things, those pure in heart will also be able to pervade and penetrate (see through) all things. Then they shall be able to find God in all things. Then they shall not be afraid of persecution.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account

μακάριοι οἱ δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
μακάριοί ἐστε ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ διώξωσιν καὶ εἴπωσιν πᾶν πονηρὸν καθ' ὑμῶν [ψευδόμενοι] ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ 
(Matthew 5:10-11).

My Lord, You who are the embodiment of Wisdom, grant us a pure heart so that we may be able to see God in all things, to bear You witness despite persecutions. Amen.

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