Sunday’s first reading describes God’s wise, creative love. The poetry from Israel’s wisdom traditions goes beyond seeing created wonders as good because God made them to seeing that God loves every last thing and person. God detests or loathes nothing or none of us. God’s love is immense, God’s spirit immanent in all things.
The Wisdom or Sophia tradition is writing that comes from late in Israel’s history. In it Jewish and Greek thinking intermix. In the poetry of Sunday’s reading from Wisdom, the poet mixes Jewish faith in God the creator with Greek intuition that something spiritual permeates and unifies all that is.
In Sunday’s gospel Luke portrays Jesus in the imagery of the Wisdom tradition. Jesus is not condemning toward a man the community regards as a sinner but compassionate and welcoming. Compassion and mercy characterize God and the holiness of the truly Godlike community.
God loves all that is.
The whole world before you is
like a speck that tips the scales,
like a drop of morning dew
that falls on the ground.
But you are merciful to all,
for you can do all things,
and you overlook people’s sins,
so that they may repent.
For you love all things that exist,
and detest none of the things
that you have made,
for you would not have made
anything if you had hated it.
How would anything have endured
if you had not willed it?
Or how would anything
not called forth by you
have been preserved?
You spare all things,
for they are yours, O Holy One,
you who love the living.
For your immortal spirit is in all things.
Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you.
Wisdom 11.22–12.2
- How do you experience the presence of God’s Spirit in creation?