O Wisdom

Last evening we began the series of talks for the novena for Christmas (though it actually starts today). Because the Church was being repaired, we had Vespers in one of the School's classrooms, which was warmer.

The other students have helped set up Christmas decorations around the house - a little tacky I would say with all the tinsel. I prefer the minimalist approach, much like the German style which is more dignified and less glitzy.

The tour bus crash in Israel yesterday is talked about everywhere. Apparently the drivers were racing each other to the border from the airport. Well things get ugly like this when tours are cheap because drivers are not paid a wage, they survive only on the commissions on purchases made by the tourists. So they're in a hurry to drive as many groups as possible in order to make them do more shopping and so they can earn more. There should be a law on minimum wage for the drivers, if only for the safety of the tourists. And I'm sure tourists will happily pay a little more for their own safety, as well as for justice to the drivers. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1228728219835&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull and http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1228728224448&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Today's antiphon for the Gospel acclamation and Vespers is
"O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from one end to the other mightily,
and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.."

The Wisdom here of course refers to Jesus. Probably inspired by Sirach 24:3 and Wisdom 8:1 and all the relevant passages (read it up on your own!) this antiphon (what is that? check it up!) reminds us that nothing happens by chance but everything works together with a purpose that God alone knows. We must submit to this divine will (the way of prudence) so that we work in this flow and not against it.