Seek Wisdom: 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time

A blog post from 2015 posted by Barnes and Noble highlights fifteen sections customers would visit when shopping at the major retailer. The top spot is taken by the New Table packed with new releases and best sellers. Many shoppers would see it as their go-to as they seek the next novel of Alex Cross, Jack Ryan, or other sought-after characters of fiction.

Surprisingly, next to last on the list, was self-improvement. Self-improvement, once referred to as self-help, offers strategies to people or experts who have gone through similar situations in life. The goal of these books is to help people identify the problems one is facing and to overcome them.

Let’s take, for example, David Goggins. Goggins served in the Navy SEALs. He shared about his life in a book called Can’t Hurt Me. He went from being obese and depressed with no future to being a member of an elite military force.

Today, we seek help in at least one aspect of life. Yet, it seems we seek it in the wrong places. Whether it’s advice on marriage, parenting, or social endeavor, we often must discern who to receive it from.

St. John Chrysostom once said, “Then only should we speak when it is more useful to speak than to be silent." This church father is reminding us to be prudent in advising people. How often have we given the wrong advice or not translucent in our wording?

The good news is that there is some self-help out there. The book of Proverbs is filled with much wisdom needed for the tumultuous time that we are in now. As it is said in the first reading chosen for the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time, “Let whoever is simple turn in here;
To the one who lacks understanding.”

We all lack understanding of what life has thrown at us. St. Paul echoes the sage advice when he wrote, “Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise.”  He continues, “Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what the will of the Lord is.”

When we discern every life challenge through God’s help, it will help us overcome the tribulations of the world.

Never grow tired of seeking God’s wisdom daily. It can help us grow spiritually. God’s wisdom trounces the secular culture’s advice.