“Folly”, says the book of Proverbs, “brings joy to one who has no sense, but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.” The fool says in his heart “there is no God”, he acts as if God didn’t exist, as if God did not reveal how we are to live. This sort of foolishness is an epidemic in our modern day. The writer of Ecclesiastes acknowledges, “I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness.” Foolishness is often associated with sin and sinfulness. Psalm 38 speaks of the wound that festers because of our sinful folly. Folly is opposed to wisdom, self-discipline, righteousness, truth, discernment and prudence.
So, St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians this morning, are quite strange, for he claims that we, Christians, are to become fools. He quickly clarifies though, we are to be foolish, not in the ways of God, but in the ways of the world. The way of the world is to seek pleasure and riches, indulge in any form of immorality, to ignore the calls of the poor, to simply eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we shall die. The way, the true way of Jesus Christ, calls us to be foolish of these attitudes, to “cast out into deep waters” as the Lord encourages us in the Gospel, to seek first the kingdom of God.
St. Theresa of Calcutta, whose feast we celebrated, just yesterday, echoed the sentiments of St. Paul, when she spoke about the life of poverty and service that she and her missionary sisters engage in. She said, “To the world, we are wasting precious life and burying our talents…We have nothing to live on, yet we live splendidly; nothing to walk on, yet we walk fearlessly; nothing to lean on, but yet we lean on God confidently; for w are his own and he is our provident Father.”
How can we grow in the wisdom of God, which recognizes the error of the world and the truth of the Gospel? An old proverb states that the only way to knowledge is to confess our ignorance, the only way to become wise is to confess our foolishness. This resonates with the Christian attitude that we must be humble enough to confess that we’ve been all too foolish in the ways of God, we are to humble ourselves so that we may be taught by God.
We do well to make a regular thorough examination of our lives in light of the entire Word of God. We do well to compare ourselves and our pursuits to the saints and their pursuits. Saints who spent their time in service, study, preaching, penance, and prayer show the folly of our self-centered pursuits. We do well to ask our Guardian Angels to make us aware of our foolish attitudes and behaviors, after all, they have to put up with our foolishness more than anybody.
Our commitment to Christ, our sacrifices for Him and His Gospel, our carrying of the cross is foolishness in the eyes of the world, but His, and His alone, is the way that leads to eternal life, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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That all Christians may seek to grow in the wisdom of God through study, prayer, penance, and charity.
That our young people may be kept safe from the errors and poison of the world, so to grow in the ways of righteousness and truth.
For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, victims of natural disaster, war, abuse, and terrorism, for the sanctification of the clergy, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.
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