And they took offense at him

8 JULY (Mk 6,1-6)

Wisdom is a gift that from God directly descends into a heart and wraps it of truth, justice, prudence, temperance, wisdom, patience and all other virtues. Who possesses wisdom lives with the fullness of the Holy Spirit in his heart.

Resplendent and unfading is Wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of men’s desire; he who watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate. For taking thought of her is the perfection of prudence, and he who for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care; Because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in the ways, and meets them with all solicitude. For the first step toward discipline is a very earnest desire for her; then, care for discipline is love of her; love means the keeping of her laws; To observe her laws is the basis for incorruptibility; and incorruptibility makes one close to God; thus the desire for Wisdom leads up to a kingdom. If, then, you find pleasure in throne and scepter, you princes of the peoples, honor Wisdom, that you may reign as kings forever. Now what wisdom is, and how she came to be I shall relate; and I shall hide no secrets from you, But from the very beginning I shall search out and bring to light knowledge of her, nor shall I diverge from the truth. Neither shall I admit consuming jealousy to my company, because that can have no fellowship with Wisdom. A great number of wise men is the safety of the world, and a prudent king, the stability of his people; so take instruction from my words, to your profit. (Wis 6,12-25).

For in her is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, Manifold, subtle, agile, clear, unstained, certain, Not baneful, loving the good, keen, unhampered, beneficent, kindly, Firm, secure, tranquil, all-powerful, all-seeing, And pervading all spirits, though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle. For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion, and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity. For she is an aura of the might of God and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nought that is sullied enters into her. For she is the refulgence of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness. And she, who is one, can do all things, and renews everything while herself perduring; And passing into holy souls from age to age, she produces friends of God and prophets. For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom. For she is fairer than the sun and surpasses every constellation of the stars. Compared to light, she takes precedence; for that, indeed, night supplants, but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom. (Wis 7,22-30).

Not only is Jesus filled with all heavenly, divine wisdom; every day, he grows in a more and more overflowing way in it. What do the people of Nazareth do? They take offense because Jesus is wise, judging him not worthy of owning such a gift due to his humble origins. As if wisdom belonged to a category of men. It is a free, gratuitous, and inscrutable gift, dependent only on the divine will.

He departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. He went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching.

That of the inhabitants of Nazareth is a faith with no historical memory, without revealed truth, without knowledge of the mystery of God. It is a human faith, made of carnal, earthly thoughts, and without any reference to the supernatural. It is a faith incapable of true, sound discernment of precise historical acts that are offered so that one fully enters into the mystery of salvation. Not only is this faith poor, it is also harmful. It is a faith that leads to mistaken, biased, approximate, unjust judgments, lacking any truth. It is a faith that does not bring truth and as a consequence it excludes from the true redemption. Such a faith kills, and does not vivify.

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