Homily: February 9, 2022, Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time.

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For readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020922.cfm  

When the Queen of Sheba witnessed Solomon’s kingdom, she was breathless. “Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report I heard. Blessed are your men, blessed these servants of yours, who stand before you always and listen to your wisdom.”

Today’s first reading tells us about the richness, the wealth of King Solomon, the result of his wisdom, the virtue of having good judgement of what is right and wrong, good and bad.

My paternal grandfather was a wise man. He was 98 years old when he passed away. He was very alert and fit. One of his wisdom in daily living was using traditional herbal Ayurveda products, all in its most natural form. He has never used chemically produced soap but uses natural herbal powder for his daily bath. I have never seen him sick until the last two weeks of his life on earth. His health was proof of his simple wisdom that man-made chemical products may harm but nature provides the best and most suitable products for us.

God has given each of us this wisdom to know good from bad, right from wrong. In the gospel today, Jesus teaches us very clearly that “what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him”.

So, our thoughts, our decisions, our actions are proof of what is in our hearts. If we carry God’s word in our hearts, our life choices will bring forth the fruits of God’s wisdom.

Jesus teaches that “Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person” so let us not worry about what is happening outside us but take care to make sure our hearts are pure and holy, right and true. God’s wisdom will lead us to holiness.


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