Sometimes when we eat food, we make comments like the food is great, rich or delicious. The scriptural readings for our liturgy today are indeed very rich. They have so much to teach us.
The first and second readings have common words or similarities. In our first reading, the author of the book of Proverbs said, “Wisdom has built her house, she has dressed her meat, mixed her wine, …Let whoever is simple turn in here…Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”
St. Paul said in the second reading, “Brothers and sisters, watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise…Therefore, do not continue in ignorance but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.”
There are two operative or key words from the above texts; wisdom and understanding.
St. Thomas Aquinas not only sought wisdom as part of his intellectual endeavors, but he also prayed daily for wisdom. According to him, wisdom is an understanding of the truth of things, understanding the good, true and the beautiful. St. Augustine described wisdom as the understanding of divine things.
Some biblical texts: Job 28:28 “Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil that is understanding.”
Is 11:2 “The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and of understanding.”
Prv 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
Jm 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly.”
Understanding: Lk 24:45 “Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.” Understanding is the power to appreciate the truth. To see from God’s perspective, to see with the eye of God. It illuminates the mind to what is true. Know or make sense of, comprehend.
From the following insights, we can say that wisdom is God, it comes from God. To fear God is wisdom, fear here means to accept or heed the truth about God and his teaching. Wisdom leads to life when we embrace and make it our way of life.
Enables us to advance in understanding.
Understanding is to comprehend the will of God. Its to know the truth.
In the gospel of today, our Lord continue his teaching on the bread of life. He declared to the crowds: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven, whoever eats this bread will live forever. When the people disagreed among themselves, he said, Amen, Amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.”
The spiritual benefits of eating the flesh and drinking the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ:
Will be raised on the last day
Will have eternal life, live for ever
Remain in him and Christ in the person
Will have life from God the Father
Do you have the wisdom, fear of the Lord to accept this true teaching?
Do you understand this true teaching from the Lord.
Remember the words of St. Paul from our first reading:
“…Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons, but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord. Do not get drunk but be filled with the Spirit, praying with thanksgiving always.”