Daily Thought For December 11, 2020
Wisdom Is Vindicated By Her Works
Lectio
Matthew 11:16–19
Meditatio
“The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said …”
When my siblings and I were little we would sometimes get in a contrary mood that my mom called “try-an’-please-me.” No matter what my mother suggested or offered us—things to play with, snacks, or drinks—we were never satisfied.
Usually Jesus speaks of children as models of what Christians should be like (because of their simplicity and trust), but this passage evokes the idea of the contrariness of children. The crowd who were listening to Jesus had not been fully converted by the preaching of John—they said he must have been crazy or possessed to have adopted such an extreme lifestyle in the desert, “neither eating nor drinking.” But Jesus didn’t live that kind of hermit- or prophet-like existence. He lived among the people, and he ate and drank with them when they invited him to their homes. So they now accuse him of lack of moderation. “Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard …”
He just can’t win.
No matter what God does for us, no matter how many calls, opportunities, or invitations are offered, we can always find something to complain about. We can always rationalize our way out of having to repent and change our ways.
If the pastor is good and holy, then he’s too strict and doesn’t understand life in the real world. If the pastor has notable human failings, then he’s a hypocrite for expecting us to live a holy life. The same things can be applied to supervisors in the work place, superiors in religious communities, and so forth. It seems we always want to wiggle out from under the finger we feel is pointed at us, and the easiest way of doing that is to point at someone or something else. But Jesus invites us to a deeper wisdom by being honest with ourselves and with him.
Oratio
Jesus, this Scripture passage makes me take an honest look at myself. I can see that I do sometimes distract attention from my own limitations and failings by drawing attention to those of others. Even if I don’t say anything out loud, I make excuses to myself to explain why I am not closer to being the person you have called me to be. Thankfully, you are patient with me and you never give up calling, inviting, offering possibilities for growth.
Contemplatio
Today I will respond, no excuses.
Daughters of Saint Paul. (2009). Advent Grace: Daily Gospel Reflections (pp. 38–39). Boston, MA: Pauline Books & Media.