The Light of Wisdom, Prudence and Hope

My uncle Halfdan, Haldie as he was known, was a great guy – a family man, a guy’s guy with a mega-watt smile, a faithful Catholic with a mischievous side who labored for years as a steelworker and occasionally bet on the horses. In fact, a memorial service celebrating Haldie’s life is planned for the weekend of the Kentucky Derby.

Ten years ago Haldie was on a pilgrimage I led to the Holy Land. The trip included my parents, my aunt Genie, my brother and his wife and several parishioners. Haldie had the honor of reading at Sunday Mass at the Church of the Visitation in Ein Karem, Jerusalem. I remember that day very clearly, it was a beautiful fall day, Haldie was dressed in a tie and sport coat and did a terrific job proclaiming God’s word.

Haldie passed away earlier this week, after a valiant battle with COVID over the past several weeks. The thing that struck me was the hopeful tone and theme of gratitude of the texts of the various cousins upon Haldie’s passing. We were all thankful for this good and decent man – a man of faith and mirth, who had lived life to the full.

These messages were rooted in Christian hope – a hope that is transcendent – it comes from God and moves us to God. This is the type of hope that is Paul is talking about in today’s second reading when he exhorts the Thessalonians: “[w]e do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you might not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.”

Pope Benedict XVI in Spe Salvi, wrote beautifully on Christian hope. I want to share a few lines from the opening section of this encyclical. “We see as a distinguishing mark of Christians the fact that they have a future: it is not that they know the details of what awaits them, but they know in general terms that their life will not end in emptiness…. the Gospel is not merely a communication of things that can be known – it is one that makes things happen and is life changing. The dark door of time, of the future, has been thrown open – the one who has hope lives differently.”

In today’s Scripture, we encounter three things that are indispensable to a faithful Christian life –characteristics that illumine God and are critically important in our modern day, darkened as it is by ignorance, injustice and apathy – wisdom, prudence and hope. In today’s first reading, wisdom, which is often described using feminine language, is closely associated with God – God is the foundation of wisdom: “resplendent and unfading is wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her.”

The one who is close to God is wise and the one who is wise is close to God. This truth is demonstrated in today’s Gospel through the wise virgins who listened to God’s word and remained faithful and vigilant in awaiting the Lord’s coming. Their fidelity is their entrance ticket to the wedding feast.

Today’s reading from the Book of Wisdom continues: “for taking the thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence.” Wisdom is the truth of God – things as they are, not the apparent truth that some confuse as consistent with reality. Prudence, or practical wisdom, is putting what we know to be true into practice – both wisdom and prudence are critical to living a good life and the flourishing of society.

The ten virgins, Scripture scholars tell us, represent the Christian community. Like the wise virgins, the foolish virgins were taught the truth, but they failed to put it into practice. Jesus’ story is an allegory as the oil of the lamps and light point to spiritual realities: the oil is the grace and the presence of Christ in our lives and the light is the light of faith and attendant good works.

The one who has opened themselves to wisdom, who has made the preparations and lived prudently, is filled with God and thus filled with hope. Hope is a Christian virtue because it is given by God and strengthened through God’s Spirit. Those with hope see more clearly and live differently – they illumine God in a darkened world. In this present day, in a nation at a crossroads and a world reeling from the effects of COVID, beset by various trials and burdened by injustice, Christians can and must be a light in the darkness – wisdom, prudence and hope are indispensable to our journey and manifest their source – Christ himself.

Darkness never enveloped Haldie as he battled COVID. My cousin relayed that Haldie flashed that mega-watt smile to his family the day before he passed. Haldie was a man of Christian faith and hope – you could hear it in his voice when he reverently proclaimed God’s word in the Holy Land years ago.

I would like to end by conveying these realities not with high theological language, but as my uncle Haldie might have. Haldie bet on the right horse, Jesus Christ - always a sure bet - and the payout is entrance into the wedding feast.