Children of Wisdom

Sep. 17, 2025 Wed. 

Wisdom is vindicated by all her children. Lk 7:35

We are often tossed between opinions around us, and easily swayed in those directions, as often we ourselves are directionless. I like Jesus the man who walked the land of Palestine 2000 years ago, because, he realised this human predicament, analysed that and decided to walk coolly, giving it a go-by.

When Fr Vattoly Augustine resigned from the office of the parish priest of Kadamakkudy, there are opinions in favour and against his action. While I too feel there could have been several ways to tackle the issue, based on his own argument – that these matters are not fundamental; not a matter worth fighting, as what is of primary importance is to bring about the ideals that Jesus stood for. Then, the whole thing could have been tackled without so much of fuss.

However, this has now been used by him to drive a point home that a Church insisting ritualism as something fundamental cannot be a real Church, and that has to be resisted.  It is that conviction that leads to such a boldacious action and I salute that.

Now Jesus speaks about wisdom and vindication of wisdom by her children.  

What could this wisdom be?

Like truth, Wisdom is God herself! And her children are endowed with wisdom.

In presenting the levels of getting to know the truth, typically we are faced with data, collated to give information, analysed to produce knowledge and sifted and assumed to make befitting decisions. At that level, we speak of wisdom. And in the Sanskrit tradition, we have a beautiful description for that: ‘nityanitya vastu vivekam’ – the skills that enable one to distinguish between what is sustainable/permanent and what is transitory.

Wisdom in our day-to-day interactions is easily inhibited by the typical human tendency to ‘judge people and situations’ based on one’s perceptions and prejudices. We jump to conclusions regarding the motives, attitudes or decisions of others, without even trying to see what would have made them act in a specific manner. So a typical child of wisdom would be able to suspend or hold one’s judgement on a particular phenomenon (person, event, interaction) and look into the various aspects of it, and arrive at a conclusion.

Second, s/he would have the skill to air that opinion or judgement in such a manner that it builds up rather than breaks.

Those not trained in the school of wisdom are the people generally referred to as ‘opinionated’ – i.e., having one’s opinion on anything and everything in a dogmatic fashion.

Even St. Robert Bellarmine, whom we celebrate today, while being bold enough, could not finally take a stand on the side of Galileo, though he did oppose punishing him.  That requires the combination of wisdom and conviction, from which emerges the courage to side with truth as dawned on oneself.

O wisdom eternal, be you my guide in my steps to discern what is lasting and what is passing; what builds up and what breaks down, and choose always what is right and what adds to the common good.  Amen.