Walking past crates of pumpkins and gourds at a local farm, the different colors and shapes are stunning. It’s interesting to think that such variety can grow out of the seemingly blah ground. Yet, when examined more closely, the soil, although drab compared to its yield, is actually quite diverse and multidimensional, holding various nutrients necessary to growth.

Turning to the readings for the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, we are provided with an invitation to contemplate the relationship and impact of prayer, openness to Wisdom, and placing hope in God on environment and yield.

First, in the Book of Wisdom, we are encouraged to seek Wisdom above all else. It is written:

I prayed, and prudence was given me;
I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
I preferred her to scepter and throne,
and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her,
nor did I liken any priceless gem to her;
because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand,
and before her, silver is to be accounted mire.
Beyond health and comeliness I loved her,
and I chose to have her rather than the light,
because the splendor of her never yields to sleep.
Yet all good things together came to me in her company,
and countless riches at her hands. – Wisdom (7:7-11

Notice how the passage begins with praying and pleading, or in other words a humble posture. Not only that, but there is also the choice to seek Wisdom as well as to abide by it; this is further described throughout the passage. However, to be open to Wisdom, one must be open to the possibility that things are not what they seem or that there might be a better way. In addition, one must also be willing to loosen the grip, or let go of other notions, even if just temporarily, so as to allow Wisdom to shine the Light and make things clear.

In Psalm 90, the Psalmist also writes of Wisdom, reminding us of its source—God’s kindness (love)—and characteristics as well as its impact—prosperity through God’s grace.

Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O Lord! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Make us glad, for the days when you afflicted us,
for the years when we saw evil.
Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children;
and may the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands! – Psalm 90:12-17

Although we cannot control the timing and placement of Wisdom, we can pray and plead for it, be aware of its characteristics, and open ourselves to it, and the graces it holds. In the Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews, we are reminded of the power of God’s word.

Brothers and sisters:
Indeed the word of God is living and effective,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow,
and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
No creature is concealed from him,
but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must render an account. – Hebrews 4:12-13

As human beings, our natural tendency is to fall into wanting to possess (control) or to fall into being possessed (controlled) by or too attached to things. However, God is not subject to this Achilles heel of ours. God, and God’s word, is “living and effective” because God is not bound, tied up, or confused, like we can be. Rather, God is all-knowing and constantly evolving, adjusting, and adapting to meet us where we are. This is not to inflict punishment or take away freedom, but to lift us up and fill us with an abundance of love and mercy, making the way for Wisdom to help us see clearly, and to use our free will to operate and navigate this world with love and mercy.

Looking at the Gospel passage for this week, we are reminded that faith and faithfulness to God not only extends beyond oneself, but that they also require flexibility and an openness to change, which is hindered when attachments to people, places, or things, outside of God exist.    

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
“How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
“Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.” – Mark 10:17-27

In the passage above, the man who approaches Jesus likely finds a great deal of security and comfort through his possessions, so much so that he walks away. In what ways can you understand how the man’s attachment prevents him from talking more with Jesus, or even asking Jesus for help? Notice how Jesus acknowledges that what he asked the man to do is not easy. Take some time to share with Jesus any challenges you may be facing with sharing the wealth—whether it is in the form of making a sacrifice to actively show care and concern for those in need, sharing something that you’re carrying all on your own and is weighing you down, or something else you’ve refrained from bringing to Jesus. Envision yourself as the man who walked away, and then, turn back around and bring yourself and your concerns back to Jesus.

We all have struggles, challenges, and hardships, yet at the same time, life and prosperity, and so many signs of it, also occur. It’s not an all or nothing, one way or the other, too late kind of world, but rather, it’s a world created by a God who is broadminded, far-reaching, for whom nothing is impossible, showing care and concern for everything and everyone, who tells us, place your hope in me, because, with me, anything is possible.