by Joe Cady
In the Gospel today, we are presented with a contrast between the “wise” and the “foolish” virgins. In light of this, I thought this would be a fitting time to break open what exactly “wisdom” looks like in everyday life. An answer to this question is given in the book of Proverbs, which presents us with a number of comparisons between the wise man and the foolish man. The book of Proverbs is part of what is known as the wisdom literature in the Old Testament, the purpose of which is to provide instructions on how to live wisely. But what exactly does wisdom look like? Proverbs gives us the following answer (Disclaimer: although this article follows the language pattern of the book of Proverbs, which speaks of the wise “man”, these truths apply to both men and women alike):
(1) The wise man seeks to GROW IN KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING.
The book of proverbs puts it this way, “The beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom; whatever else you get, get understanding” (Prov 4:7). You want to be wise? Good! Step 1… get wisdom. Meaning, if you want to be wise you need to actually pursue wisdom. If we want to be wise, we have to actually seek to know God and understand the way of life that he calls us to. How do we do this? By learning, with both our mind and our heart. We engage our minds in the pursuit of wisdom by studying the faith, by reading the Bible, the Catechism, and other spiritual/theological resources. But we must also engage the heart. We know that following Jesus is not simply about knowing stuff, but about learning to live like him. Learning is good, but what we learn should ultimately influence our way of living. We engage our hearts in the pursuit of wisdom through discipleship, through following in the footsteps of the Master. The wise man seeks wisdom so that he can understand how to live well. The fool, on the other hand, “takes no delight in understanding, but rather in displaying what he thinks” (Prov 18:12). We all have opinions, and we love to share them. But how well are our opinions informed by the truth of God? Of all the things that influence the way we think about things, how much do we let the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Church inform us? Our goal, always, should be to think with the mind of Christ, and with the Church that he established. Proverbs says, “Without knowledge even zeal is not good; and who acts hastily, blunders” (Prov 19:2). Passion for Christ and the Church is good, but this passion needs to be guided and directed by wisdom. Wisdom and knowledge show us how to use our passion and zeal in ways that are effective and fruitful.
(2) The wise man PRAYS.
Prayer is the beginning of humility. Why? Because when we pray we recognize that there is a God and that we’re not him. When we pray we recognize our dependence upon something outside of ourselves. Proverbs says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely” (Prov 3:5). Prayer enables us to put our trust in God rather than ourselves. Proverbs also says, “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov 1:7). This doesn’t mean being afraid of God. It means recognizing God’s God-ness and our not-ness. It means standing before him in awe of his power, majesty, and might. Why is this the beginning of wisdom? Because it places us in proper relation to God. It makes us recognize that everything, our very lives, has its origin and end in God. Unless we understand this most fundamental truth, we will easily misunderstand everything else.
(3) The wise man is RESPONSIBLE and GENEROUS with his wealth.
Proverbs says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth” (Prov 3:9). Everything that we have is given to us not just for our benefit, but for the good of others. To possess anything makes us a steward of it. To be wise is to see the goods of this world in their proper perspective. When we misuse wealth or misunderstand its purpose, we can fall into the trap of thinking that what we have defines who we are. It can cause us to become self-reliant and prevent us from seeing and responding to the needs of others. God intends for all people to benefit from both our material and spiritual resources. And he calls us to use both our possessions and our talents in service to others… especially the poor and vulnerable. Jesus makes it very clear that our love for others, especially the least among us, will be the standard by which we are judged. As proverbs says, “Those who oppress the poor revile their Maker, but those who are kind to the needy honor him” (Prov 14:31).
(4) The wise man AVOIDS SIN.
Proverbs says, “The path of the wicked do not enter, nor walk in the way of evil” (Prov 4:14). To live wisely means not only seeking to avoid sin but avoiding those things that might lead us astray. In the Act of Contrition we pray that we “firmly intend…to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.” In order to do this, we need to know ourselves and to be careful. As Proverbs says, “The wise man is cautious and shuns evil; the fool is reckless and sure of himself” (Prov 14:16). The wise man is careful not to go down a path that will lead to sin, but the foolish man is “sure of himself”. We should be confident in the strength and help of the Holy Spirit within us, but we should never underestimate our potential to fall into sin or overestimate our ability to remain faithful. We should always be cautious and humble, as St. Paul says, “whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall” (1 Cor 10:12).
(5) The wise man seeks to GROW IN HOLINESS and VIRTUE.
This is the purpose of the Proverbs, “that people may know wisdom and discipline…may receive instruction in wise conduct, in what is right, just, and fair” (Prov 1:2,3). The wise man seeks to live virtuously. Virtue is the habitual disposition to do good. The virtuous life centers around 4 essential virtues (called the cardinal virtues): prudence, which is knowledge of the good to be done and the way to achieve it; justice, which is the realization of the good; fortitude, which is the willingness to suffer loss in the battle for the realization of the good; and temperance, which is the right ordering of all of our passions and appetites in accord with the good. Prudence tells us the good to be done, justice enables us to bring that good about. Fortitude and temperance seek to clear the way for the good, making it easier to achieve. Because the virtues are habits, they are only obtained by doing them. The only way to become generous is by practicing generosity. The only way to become patient is by exercising patience. Through seeking to grow in virtue and holiness we seek to become people after God’s own heart, people who can do the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, for the right reason. This is essentially what it means to “live wisely.”
(6) The wise man is HONEST.
Proverbs says, “Dishonest mouth put away from you, deceitful lips put far from you” (Prov 4:24). The wise man is one who speaks the truth and lives honestly, one who says what he means and means what he says. To live wisely is to be trustworthy. As followers of Jesus Christ, it is essential that we live as men and women of integrity, as people who bear witness to the truth in both what they say and what they do.
(7) The wise man is CHASTE.
Proverbs instructs us to “Keep from another’s wife” (Prov 6:24), for “Those who commit adultery have no sense; those who do it destroy themselves” (Prov 6:32). To live wisely is to be men and women who honor the beauty of married life through fidelity in thought and action. However, chastity is not just about avoiding adultery. Chastity is the virtue by which we understand ourselves and our sexuality in a way that honors God and respects the dignity of ourselves and others. Chastity is not a suppression of our sexual desires, but a right ordering of them. It is a form of temperance, which seeks to direct our minds and hearts toward right relationship. We seek to live chastely not because human sexuality is bad, but because it is good. Whether we are married or single, God calls us to be men and women who think, speak, and act in a way that honors the dignity of others.
(8) The wise man has GOOD FRIENDS and seeks WISE COUNSEL.
In the pursuit of wisdom, it is important to surround ourselves with people who will challenge us and inspire us to become better. Proverbs says, “Walk with wise men and you will become wise, but the companion of fools will fare badly” (Prov 13:20). For better or for worse, the company that we surround ourselves with will influence us. If you want to become a better person, surround yourself with good people. If you want to grow in holiness, spend time with people who desire the same thing. Having good friends helps us work through difficult issues and questions. Proverbs says, “The way of the fool seems right in his own eyes, but he who listens to advice is wise” (Prov 12:15). We are really good at convincing ourselves of things, and if we try hard enough, we can usually talk ourselves into thinking pretty much anything is a good idea. Which is why we need people we can go to when faced with difficult situations or important questions; people we can talk through things with, people who can help us determine the best path to take. To live wisely is to surround ourselves with friends who will support and encourage us in the pursuit of wisdom.
As we consider all of this, the difficult question we can ask ourselves is: am I wise or am I a fool? I think, if we are honest with ourselves, the answer is… we’re a complex mixture of both. But even knowing this is a step in the right direction. It is important for us to be aware of both how we are doing well and where we are falling short. And, as long as we are steadfast in moving in the right direction, we will make progress. As we continue our pursuit of holiness, let us seek, as Pope Francis says, to “live wisely, to think deeply and to love generously” (Laudato Si’, 47). The world is in need of wise men and women who will be light on the path to what is good and true. As Bishop Olmsted says, “You and I are called to a holiness that shows Christ to the world” (Into the Breach, 7). Let us commit, this day, to the daily pursuit of wisdom.