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Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Prv 3:27-34; Ps 15:2-4,5; Lk 8:16-18
“He who walks blamelessly and does justice”



The only just one is Christ the Lord. The only one who has a claim to the Holy Mountain is the Lord Jesus. He alone does justice and walks blamelessly. Christ thinks the truth in his heart; he has claimed, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The Lord Jesus never slandered with his tongue; even his critique of the powers that be was spoken out of love, never to injure someone’s reputation. The Lord Jesus never harmed his fellow man; he did not take up a reproach against his neighbor. He did not call down legions of angels upon those who arrested him; he did not condemn those who judged him unjustly. The Lord Jesus hates with a perfect hate; he loves sinners and hates sin. Throughout his life even unto his passion, the Lord Jesus is completely generous without hesitation and without conditions, “This day you will be with me in paradise.” Christ in his human nature was not afraid. He had no fear. Not of evil news and not of religious or political powers. He was not disturbed. Only through Him, with Him, and in Him, do we even have any hope to walk blamelessly, to do justice, and to live on the Holy Mountain. Indeed, Christ the Lord is the Incarnate Word; He is the Wisdom of the Father made flesh and dwelling among us, still. Indeed, the Lord Jesus is the light who cannot be concealed; He is the light placed upon a lamp stand so that all who enter may see the light. The glory and wisdom of Christ the Lord attracts us and transforms us into the lamps and sages, all for the glory of the Father and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

“If you are arrogant, you alone will bear the burden of your pride.” This wisdom comes from the Psalms. It is echoed in today’s wisdom from Proverbs. The Wise and Holy LORD is stern with the arrogant, and his shows kindness to the humble. This fundamental tension within each person is also manifest in the community of believers. Who has a claim on our resources, our time, and our compassion? The Lord Jesus responds to this question with the wisdom of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Anyone in need has a claim upon our generosity. Not only are we not to plot evil against our neighbor; we are to pray for those who injure us. Our enemies, not just our neighbors, we must love. Not only are we to not follow the ways of the wicked; we are to “turn the other cheek” so that we give bold witness to those who are lawless. Finally, the Lord Jesus is wisdom beyond the wisdom of Proverbs; he eats and drinks with sinners and tax collectors. His friendship is for the upright and the perverse. In his divine humility he has come to serve and not to be served, to lay down his life for the ransom of the many. He has borne the burden of our pride and revealed the true wisdom of humility. The true wisdom of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is revealed in the mystery of the cross.

All who have entered into the transforming union are summoned by the Lord Jesus to be placed like a lamp upon a lamp stand so that all who seek to enter the house of the Lord will see the light, will not get lost in the overwhelming darkness. The hidden wisdom and humble brightness of the Lord and his servants will be known all through the earth and all through history. We have nothing to fear; the Lord is God and there is no other. He shields his servant in the bright glory of his truth and love, and that’s all we need. To anyone who has been given faith and used that faith, more faith will be given. From the one who has not even a shred of faith, he will have that which was never used taken away. The promise to give more to those who have is not a promise of wealth in this world, because this world as we know it is passing away. The promise to take away what he seems to have is about the faith that has never grown, that has never brought light into the passing world.