Why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

26 OCTOBER (Lk 12,54-59)

It is characteristic of human rationality to discern good from evil, right from wrong, truth from falsehood, the sacred from the profane, what is good and what is better, best, what is possible from what is impossible, what is vice and what is virtue. The scripture teaches that the even the stork knows the time of its migration.

Tell them: Thus says the Lord: When someone falls, does he not rise again? if he goes astray, does he not turn back? Why do these people rebel with obstinate resistance? Why do they cling to deceptive idols, refuse to turn back? I listen closely: they speak what is not true; No one repents of his wickedness, saying, “What have I done!” Everyone keeps on running his course, like a steed dashing into battle. Even the stork in the air knows it seasons; Turtledove, swallow and thrush observe their time of return, But my people do not know the ordinance of the Lord. How can you say, “We are wise, we have the law of the Lord”? Why, that has been changed into falsehood by the lying pen of the scribes! The wise are confounded, dismayed and ensnared; Since they have rejected the word of the Lord, of what avail is their wisdom? (Jer 8,4-9).

St. Paul sees the Christian as a person capable of straight, sound, good, great discernment. Indeed, his life must be an eternal judgment. In every moment of his day, the Christian must know what is the will of God on him.

I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. For by the grace given to me I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has apportioned. For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them: if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others, with diligence; if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness” (Rm 12,1-8).

Everyone is obliged to know how to discern what he must do and what the others must. He must know where, when, to whom to direct his work of salvation. All this requires intelligence, wisdom, and listening to the Holy Spirit.

He also said to the crowds, “When you see (a) cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain – and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot – and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time? “Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

To Jesus the whole life is a perpetual discernment. Never might there be life on earth without making a distinction between one thing and another. If everything is discernment, why when it is a matter to know God that intervenes powerfully in our history, do we refuse to put in motion our knowledge and wisdom, and do we also deny the human capacity of being able to do these things? Why do we almost always operate a negative discernment, attributing either to man or to the very forces of evil what can only come from God? This question can be given but only one answer: because dense darkness reigns within us that obscure mind, intelligence, heart for the good and make us able only for evil, wickedness, malignancy, and dishonesty. It is sad when a man of God declares a destroyer of his reign a person of God. It is an infinite sadness to know that who is qualified to the true discrimination does these things.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels, and Saints teach us the true wisdom.