What are the seven pillars Wisdom built her house on?

Homily

20^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday 18^th August 2024

First reading	Proverbs 9:1-6
Responsorial Psalm	Psalm 33(34):2-3,10-15
Second reading	Ephesians 5:15-20
Gospel	John 6:51-58

 

In the first reading from Proverbs, I wanted to know what are the seven pillars Wisdom built her house on? We are used to our houses being build on a foundation that will keep the building solid. In the new estate being built in Dromintee, the foundation came first, followed by a wooden frame and a roof. Then came the bricks, the windows and all the internal fittings and plumbing.

What the seven pillars are in Proverbs, are not individually mentioned, but the letter of James does. The first is being pure; the second being peaceable; the third being considerate and kind; the fourth being willing to yield, in other words, will accept correction and know when not to push forward; the fifth being full of mercy and being compassionate; the sixth is being impartial and the seventh being sincere. (Hopler, 2022)

Purity requires us to prioritise our lives to be holy. We are encouraged to be peace-loving so we can get on with others and build relationships. In being considerate we show our respect for others and are careful in our choice of actions and words. Being willing to yield is to be humble and sensible. By being merciful we are showing kindness, and our actions are compassionate so we can help make good things happen. Impartiality shows our commitment to being faithful, fair and just, allowing God to show us the way. Sincerity indicates we care for the truth, integrity and being genuine. (Hopler, 2022)

These are the pillars Wisdom has built her house on, and to celebrate she has prepared a banquet for those she intends to invite into her home. The people she is calling are the ignorant, the foolish and those who are filling their lives with folly. The suggestion is that the folly brings death as to leave the folly brings life.

Who are the ignorant? The ignorant are the ones lacking knowledge, the uneducated and unsophisticated, or those who are rude, ill-mannered or crude. Often these are terms used when someone who thinks they are superior passes judgment on another to belittle them.

Who are the fools? The fool is associated with the jester, the clown, the idiot and the one who has been duped, tricked or deceived. Again, these could be judgments made by those who see themselves as being above another, lording themselves over someone they see as inferior.

What is a folly? In Old French this term meant being mad or stupid. Often a person’s actions were considered to be non-sensical or crazy, when another judged them who disagreed with their point of view.

Yet, it is those who are considered to be the lowly, the humble, the insignificant, the servant, and the slave who are being called, because these are the people who are prepared to listen, who are prepared to take correction, who have no self-importance and are prepared to put their trust in Our Lord Jesus Christ, the faithful, the kind, the compassionate, the ones who are impartial and sincere.

These are the people who have not spoken evil of another, have not used deception to better themselves but have attempted to do their best through peaceful means and are prepared to take instruction when needing to be corrected, knowing this will lead to a better life.

In our world, everything seems to have been turned upside down. The term ‘wicked’ is said to mean good, or ‘sick’ meaning impressive. Then there is the term ‘tight’ used instead of meaning confined, in slang means cool.

Much of what we, as Christians see as being bad, in this world is considered good. Abortion, Euthanasia, Fornication, Divorce, Adultery, Lying, and much more. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is tested by the Pharisees about why Moses allowed for divorce. Jesus’ initial response was because they were unteachable. He had previously told them how the creator from the beginning had made man both male and female, which is why a man must leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and the two become one body. What God unites man must not divide.

When the disciples quizzed Jesus about whether a husband and wife should marry, he reminded them that not everyone can accept what he said, but only those who are granted so. Jesus then talks about three types of Eunuch who cannot marry, firstly those born with physical defects, those who were castrated by others, and those who chose not to marry but to remain celibate for the Kingdom of God. To reassure the disciples he asked them to accept this if they could, but it was a choice to be made by each individual.

In this modern age, many have rejected what the Lord has asked of each of us. They have turned their back on him, accepting other ideologies, wrongly assuming that they will be free. In Ezekiel, the bride is described as someone the Lord saw needed to be purifies. The bride referred to Jerusalem, but though she was given everything, she became infatuated with her beauty, she chased fame prostituting herself for her services. She became self-centred.

Eventually, shame brings her to silence and, because God loves her, she will be pardoned. When Jesus took on all our shame and sin, the sin of his bride, the people of his church, we were cleansed in the blood and water that flowed from his side. Though because of our sins, we should die, but we are saved and can live forever because of the sacrifice made on Calvary.

We are invited to the supper of the Lord, the Lamb of God, who takes away our sins, which include pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and sloth (Petruzzello, 2024). The seven heavenly virtues are humility, charity, chastity, gratitude, temperance, patience and diligence (Petruzzello, 2024). Not too different from Wisdom’s seven pillars.

Our Lord is inviting us to wake up, to be ready to receive his free gift, the living bread which has come down from heaven. This life-giving bread is his real body and real blood, which we receive in the Eucharist. As children we are given the foundation of our faith, passed on by our parents, schools and the Church. As age takes the better of us, we become cynical, hardened by what life throws at us, and possibly disillusioned by what we have experienced. Yet, in Matthew, Mark and Luke’s Gospels, Jesus tells us that we must have the openness of a child to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Is this not what Wisdom also asks of us? Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever. Come and receive the Lord into your hearts.

Amen.

References

ACP. (2024, August). 18 Aug 2024 – 20th Sunday (Year B). Retrieved from Association of Catholic Priests: https://associationofcatholicpriests.ie/homily-resource/18-aug-2024-20th-sunday-year-b/

Blizzard, R. B. (2019). Proverbs 9:1. Retrieved from Bible Scholars: https://www.biblescholars.org/2013/05/proverbs-91.html#:~:text=Proverbs%2015%3A23%2C%20%22The,riches%20and%20(7)%20honor.

Harmer, J. (2022, March 6). A Complete List of Things Christians Can’t Do. Retrieved from Purpose in Christ: https://purposeinchrist.com/a-complete-list-of-things-christians-cant-do/

Hopler, W. (2022, January 13). What Are the Seven Pillars of Wisdom? Retrieved from Crosswalk: https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-are-the-seven-pillars-of-wisdom.html#:~:text=James%203%3A17%20describes%20the,seven%20often%20symbolizes%20fullness%20and

Hull, C. T. (2024, July 4). The Great Inversion of Our Age. Retrieved from Catholic Exchange: https://catholicexchange.com/the-great-inversion-of-our-age/

O'Callaghan, P. (2017, April 4). Cultural challenges to faith: a reflection on the dynamics of modernity. Retrieved from Taylor & Francis Online: Church, Communications and Culture: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23753234.2017.1287281

Petruzzello, M. (2024, July 28). Seven deadly sins -Theology. Retrieved from Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/seven-deadly-sins

 

 

 

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