Wisdom 13:1-9 / Luke 17:26-37
Human beings are certainly different from all the other animals in many aspects.
But what makes human beings really different is that human beings have intellect and will.
With intelligence, human beings have been able to advance and progress in many areas like science and technology.
But where intelligence has been profound in leaps and bounds, the will of man seems to be sorely lacking behind.
The 1st reading asks this question: If man is capable of investigating the world, how have they been so slow to find its Master?
The 1st reading also said that naturally stupid are all men who have not known God.
But that kind of stupidity is not about intelligence but about the will. It is essentially about the matter of the heart.
Because Psalm 14 has this to say: The fool has said in his heart - there is no God above, their deeds are corrupt and depraved.
We are certainly no fools and neither are we stupid. And we certainly believe that there is a God above.
Yet to believe means that we also would want to love God and to love our neighbour.
Jesus has revealed to us how much God loves us when He sacrificed His life on the cross for us.
We know it. We even believe in it. Yet we must also live out that love in our lives. We must want to do it.
For all our intelligence, if we have no love or that we are unwilling to love, then we are really stupid fools.
May this Eucharist open our hearts to increase our love for God and for others.