get wisdom:
and with all thy getting
get understanding.
I was given a great blessing recently. My husband and I were invited to attend a Red Mass at Mission Santa Clara. It was a beautiful event. The church glistened with ornate décor and was crowned with a “Sistine Chapel like” ceiling. Several exquisite paintings hung over the alter. The raised Stations of the Cross, and polished red brick floor were magnificent. Broad wicker chairs were set up along the perimeter of the rectangular building. Seated guests surrounded a central platform. On the platform stood a large table which served as a resting point for the communion elements. The table was covered in a deep rich red cloth accented with a crisp white cotton runner. The corners of the building were draped with tailored red and white banners. There were magnificent bouquets boasting fresh roses, carnations, and gladiolas. The main priest, of course, wore a red robe. The six attending priests wore white monk like robes. Full length red sashes draped over their shoulders and cascaded down the front of their tunics. To complete the milleau, many of the male guests wore black suits with red neckties. Female guests showed their support by wearing red dresses or blouses. It was visually stunning and something I never could have imagined. A group of talented singers and a small but dynamic orchastra added to imperial ambiance. The music was reverent and worshipful, so typical of the Catholic Church.
Personally, I had never even heard of the Red Mass. I now know, however, that “The Red Mass is a historical tradition within the Catholic Church dating back to the Thirteenth Century when it officially opened the term of the Court for most European countries.
The celebrants—government officials, lawyers and judges—would proceed into a church clothed in red vestments or garments, signifying the fire of the Holy Spirit's guidance to all who pursue justice in their daily lives.
This important historic tradition was introduced into the United States in 1928 in the Church of St. Andrew, located in New York City. The Mass was presided over by His Eminence Patrick Cardinal Haves, who strongly encouraged and supported the involvement of the legal community in spreading the Word of God.
The Red mass is currently celebrated in dioceses throughout the United States to invoke God's blessings upon the members of the Bench, Bar, Legislature, Law enforcement and Governmental agencies, all protectors and administrators of the Law.” (Taken from Redmass.org – Red mass online- History of the Red mass)
At this particular Mass, the priest gave an admonition to the attending attorneys. He stated that education is important but that it must be tempered with character and wisdom. He noted that Jesus himself was not highly educated, except for Temple Tora knowledge. Yet Jesus was able to confront the lawyers, Pharisees, and Saducees of the day. The speaker also mentioned that Godly wisdom and truth is always rooted in and emanates from love.
I wholeheartedly agree that wisdom is of the utmost importance, not only for lawyers, but for everyone of us in all walks of life.
Proverbs 4:7 states:
Wisdom is the principal thing;
therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting
get understanding.
(KJV)
The New Living Bible trannslation says:
“Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do!
How true this concept is. Wisdom is the cornerstone of a
balanced, happy, victorious Christian life.
We can seek the Lord for wisdom in any situation
which may arise and he will show us exactly what to do.
James 1:5 reads:
“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God,
and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”
(NLT)
How comforting to know that our God does not look down on us for lacking wisdom. Rather, He will graciously, by His Holy Spirit, guide and direct us when we ask for help.
We live in the information age. We have instant access to massive facts, figures, and knowledge. Theories change. Knowledge changes. The wisdom of God, however, is eternal. If we employ theories and knowledge without Godly wisdom, we may do ourselves and others more harm than good.
I remember a time years ago, when I was in a car accident. My car did look quite "a sight." Someone called a tow truck driver and he arrived on the scene. He was urging me to have it hauled to a wrecking yard. In the natural, I would have agreed with him. But suddenly, I felt the Spirit of the Lord come upon me in such a powerful way. I was so impressed not to let him take it to the wrecking yard but to bring it to my home. I was also so impressed not to go to the hospital in an ambulance as the EMT's were urging me to, as I had some neck pain. Now, this may not have sounded like human wsidom, however, I KNEW that these were directives from the Holy Spirit. Without going into detail, these turned out to be the right decisions on both counts. My husband was very pleased that I had not “junked” the car. He was able to have it repaired at a reasonable cost. My chiropractor took great care of my neck and I avoided ambulance fare, hospital costs, and a great deal of general hassle. We didn't have cell phones at that time so I couldn't ask wisdom from my husband or family. However, the Spirit of the Lord gave me instant discernment and instruction. My advice would be: “Wisdom through prayer. Holy Spirit Connection. Don't leave home without them.”
By Cathy Friberg
