The Antiphon
O Wisdom,
coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from one end to the other,
mightily and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.
Readings
I came forth from the mouth of the Most High (Sirach 24:3)
Wisdom reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other, and she orders all things well (Wisdom 8:1)
Forsake childishness, and live, and walk by the ways of prudence” (Proverbs 9:6)
Reflection
Nobody ever wants to be labelled a fool. Sure, people will act the fool to raise a smile or even a laugh. That action, though, is measured; it is within calculated boundaries. The one who plays the fool knows when it is wise to stop.
When we sit and watch some stand-up comedians, we might question their wisdom as they push boundaries or poke fun at another’s foolishness. However, their reflection of human foolishness is so cutting at times that what they say or do does not make us laugh, instead it makes us feel uncomfortable. The lack of sense they portray, the incapacity to follow instruction they demonstrate, and the stupid words spoken show us how foolish we can be, even when we try not to be.
As we begin to look more ardently toward the coming of Jesus into the world, it is maybe no surprise that our first antiphon calls for wisdom to come. In a world where the trend is towards chaos, where many words are spoken first and thought about later, humanity is in need of one who will not just show us our foolishness but will show us how to stop being fools.
There are moments in the gospels’ retelling of Jesus’s story that we might perceive Jesus’s actions not as wise or prudent but foolish and irresponsible. Yet, just as when the one acting the fool knows when to stop, so did Jesus. His folly only went as far as was needed to make the point. In fact, his words and actions were astute and carefully crafted to help the world see its folly and strive to change.
Prayer
O come O Wisdom,
show us the way—
away from folly
towards the day
when sense and order
ground our way,
the way you path
until the end of days. Amen
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Today’s writer
The Rev’d Dr Elaine Colechin, Minister, Bromley United Reformed Church and St Mark’s United Church, Greenwich
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