The Presentation of Question 27 Chapter 12 : 1/3

How does In God's Love 
written by Janet Hurlow
relate to 
the Catholic Faith ?

  Chapter 12 We Live a Live of Wisdom or Foolishness   1/3

            Part 1  Introduction

528         In the Old Testament of the Bible, it is written that we have freedom to choose.  The basic choice is sometimes described as a choice between life and death, good and evil, or sin and holiness.  Most often, especially in the Wisdom writings, it is described as a choice between being wise or being foolish.  Likewise, while In God’s Love also uses the former descriptions for the basic choice of our life, it predominately speaks in terms of “the wise” and “the foolish”.  In Chapter 4 of the Presentation, the truth of our creation by God and our basic freedom to choose between wisdom and foolishness is presented.  The focus of Chapter 12 will be on the following questions: What does a wise person look like?  What are the principles and characteristics of a wise person?  What things do the wise exclude or avoid, or not do?  What does a foolish person look like?  Since Chapters 10 and 11 discussed the great commandments to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves and the wise do this, there will naturally be some overlap. 

529           Chapter 11 deals with the “love of neighbor”, yet that is only part of the commandment: `“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  I believe that if we do not love ourselves, we will not be very good at loving others.  I believe when we love ourselves, we respect and honor ourselves.  We desire to become more of who we are.  We desire to grow.  In short, I believe we desire to be wise and become wiser.  I believe when we look at the image of a wise person, we will also be looking the image of a person who loves themselves and fulfills the second part of the second great commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself.”
 
           Part 2 Some People are Wise

                      Section 1 General Rules of the Wise

530            The wise have good intentions.  I remember my mom saying “The path to hell is paved with good intentions.”  By that she meant that plenty of people put off things like becoming wise, holy, more loving, or more caring.  They believe they will become better tomorrow, and tomorrow never comes.  This type of waiting to make the wise decision is not good.  I can desire to write, call, or help someone, and if I keep thinking about doing it, sooner or later I may do it, because I have the loving intention to do so.  Conversely, if someone is tempted to be unfaithful to their spouse, or steal something, then sooner or later they will probably do the evil action that they have thought often about in their heart.   Jesus stated that if you look at a woman with lust, you have already committed the sin in your heart.(1)   Would not the opposite be true?  If we look at the poor with compassion, we have already committed some kindness in our heart.  In Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan,(2)  the Samaritan first had the feeling of compassion for the injured man, before he acted.  The other travelers never had that intention come to their mind or heart. 

531            Thoughts or movements of the heart precede action, therefore, the wise need to have a kind heart.  The messengers profoundly state what is at the heart of a wise loving person: “Come, children, sing a song of good intentions.  God sings in the hearts of good desires.  Come, good desires, sing in Earth children.  Bless very sweetly, for out of the spirit of good desires come good works.  If the mind is filled with good desires, where is there room for the bad thing?  Goodness, little children, and blessings are yours. Amen.”(3)

532           The wise not only think about doing good, but they also do good and avoid evil.  This is the basic principle of morality that the wise obey.  The Catechism, when addressing morality states, "Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil,…”(4)   The messengers repeatedly echo this central principle of the wise person: “People of Earth, when you do good and avoid evil, this is wise.  Such wisdom is reached in Heaven.”(5)   They also write, “Do good.  Avoid evil.  Sing a sacred song”(6)  

                      Section 2 Twenty-Two Characteristics of the Wise

533           Not all who are wise will display all of these characteristics, but when the writers of In God’s Love speak of people who are wise, who are saints, who are righteous, they speak of these characteristics.  First, the wise are wise and seek wisdom and understanding: “While you wait, keep wise and blessed.”(7)   We are to seek out the spirit of wisdom: “Wisdom is a spirit of God’s Spirit….  God’s own, dear children know her….  This kind spirit is reached by all who are in God’s Spirit and seek her out.”(8)   We also become wise by seeking out instruction: “Blessed are the spirits who seek instruction.”(9)   And also, “Seek instruction, that you may become wise.”(10)

534           Second, the wise read the Bible to gain wisdom.  The Catechism of the Church summarizes, “’The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord’(11) : both nourish and govern the whole Christian life. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’”(12)   The messengers implore us to “Become wise.  Study your Bible.  Take God with sincerity.  This is right and true.”(13)   They proclaim that the greatest book of all is the Bible and it teaches us how to live wisely: “Book of books is the Bible.  Those who read it learn about how they are supposed to live on the Earth.  No book ever written can substitute for the Bible”(14)

535           Third, the wise pray.  The messengers state, “O, how wise are those who pray on Earth, and this is only the beginning of such wisdom.”(15)   Much more will be written about prayer in the next Chapter.

536           Fourth, it is wise to seek mercy, and yet the learned are not given the spirit of wisdom to do so.  The messengers say, “God’s love is free and beautiful.  O sons of man, God is kind, gentle and blessed.  In His Spirit, mercy reaches out to those who ask for it.  This is wisdom.  Small ones are given her while men of Earth who are learned are foolish.”(16)

537           Fifth, the wise have faith.  Sixth the wise are honest.  When speaking about people who come into heaven, the messengers state that they will hear, “’Good and faithful servant, you have done well.  God is pleased with you.  Come into His Kingdom, singing with joy.’”(17)   They note with praise that “Even unto death they (we who are saints) come, trusting in His promise, trusting in His love.  Each one was a hero.  Each one was brave and honest.”(18)

538           Seventh, the wise are pure or clean of heart.  “Blessed are the clean of heart for they will see God.”(19)   We are to be clean of heart.  We do this by the action of the Holy Spirit in us.  As the Catechism states,  the pure in heart have the capacity for spiritual growth, “Since God could create everything out of nothing, he can also, through the Holy Spirit, give spiritual life to sinners by creating a pure heart in them.<148>”(20)  The messengers echo this sentiment with “Wise are you who are clean of heart.  Blessings are yours.  This is written:  'keep your very righteous spirits close to God’s way.’  Never stop in such spirit.  God makes inspirational music in such spirits who are clean of heart and pure of mind and spirit”(21)  

 539           The messengers state we are to be “as innocent as a small Earth child. God is pleased with many who keep such blessed thoughts.”(22)   We are to keep our secrets harmless.  Often, when adults have secrets, they can be good or bad and often the latter.  I believe there is nothing more special than a little child trying to keep a secret so they can surprise their mom or dad or sibling with a secret present or surprise that they hope will bring them joy.  These are harmless, blessed secrets that come from a pure heart.  It is in this way that I believe the messengers write, “Blessed are you whose secrets are harmless.  Keep God’s blessings.  Make a special song in all your hidden ways.  Keep so sweet and pure in all ways.  Send out your music, blessed saints of God.  Keep your secrets blessed.  Keep your mind as sweet as your secret desires….  In God’s Spirit, keep all your secret desires.”(23)   May all our secret desires be sweet, pure and blessed with God’s Spirit.  Doesn’t that just bring a smile to our face? 

540           The messengers encourage us to keep clean: “Kept are the songs of the pure of heart… Cast out the corruptions of the mind.  Call out to God in times of temptation.  Reach most blessedly.  God is the author of pure thoughts.  This is so beautiful.”(24)  

541           If we remain clean, the messengers tell us we will see more clearly: “See the wonders of God in a clean spirit, so that you may see more fully.”(25)   If we remain clean, we will shine with the beauty of God: “Make your spirits shine so sweetly.”(26)   They also state, “White are your spirits.  Precious to God, white and pure, so white in God’s Spirit.  O, such a lovely spirit makes God’s Spirit rest in such blessed beauty.  White are all who shine with the radiance of God.  Shine as children of God.  Such beauty comes from God.  Such are the spirits of God bathed in the light of God’s love….Bathe in God’s light, as white and pure as God’s children.”(27)

542           It is the clean of heart who are in Heaven.  The Catechism quotes St. Cyril in regards to purity: “Only a pure soul can boldly say: ‘Thy kingdom come.’ One who has heard Paul say, ‘Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies,’ and has purified himself in action, thought and word will say to God: ‘Thy kingdom come! <92>”(28)   This is recognition that to be in Heaven, we have to be pure.  In speaking about the clean of heart being in Heaven, the messengers write, “You are so wise to come in clean spirits and white robes.  God is pleased.”(29)  They also write, “It is they who have a clean heart on the Earth.  Those who are the true children of God are celebrating.  The children of God are true and treasured among all Earth people.”(30)  They state,  “Pure are the saints of God.”(31)   This is symbolically written as “White is the color of robes brought to saints of such music.  This is what you seek. More is not given.  Rest in white, God’s white robes.”(32)

543           Eighth, love one another.  The wise follow the commands of God.  God commands that we love one another.  Therefore, those who love are wise.(33)   The messengers tell us we are to love: “Sing out with much love.  Make your love shine among all men.”(34)   Our love is to grow.  The messengers write, “In this, take wisdom: love grows and flourishes in time on the Earth.”(35)   The love that the wise have in them is God’s love.  The messengers express this, writing, “Such is kindness.  She is a gift from the Holy Spirit.  God sends her so beautifully into the souls of the saints.”(36)  They also write, “On Earth, never pass an opportunity to be kind…God is kind.  Rise in His Spirit.  Sing in His love.  Sing a kind song in your spirits.”(37)   They also state, “Such love is in kind spirits.  Understand such kind spirits in God’s Spirit.  Without God, there is not true kindness.”(38)   The love the wise share really helps others, for they write, “Become kind on Earth.  Kind spirits are soothing to those who are sorrowful on Earth.  Songs of a soothing nature are sung in a kind spirit.”(39)   The wise who love will be in heaven, for they write, “Such peace and love are in each heart.  They arrive so blessed.”(40)   The love of the wise will cover a multitude of their sins, for they write, “Such pardon shall be made in those who are kind.  Such love is in kind spirits. ”(41)

544           Ninth, wise people are at peace.  The messengers write that “Peace is found in the calmness of the soul that loves God.  This is true peace.”(42)     Peace only comes from God, for they write, “Peace is a virtue sent from God.  Only one kind of peace is sent from God.  He is the maker of peace.  His peace is the peace of His Spirit in the souls of mankind.  There is no peace without God.”(43)   The sign of peace is the crucifix.  The messengers explain, “God is in peace and she in God.  Her spirit blesses in God’s Spirit.  Signs of peace are very symbols of material peacefulness.  You sign her in God’s love.  She is real and true.  Nothing false is in her spirit, when you keep this sign.  Wise are you to carry a blessed crucifix in view.  This is the sign of peace.  This is a symbol of Christ’s victory.  This is a Christian symbol of peace in Christ.  In this symbol is peace for all men of Earth.”(44)   The messengers write that those who have the peace of God are in heaven: “Such peace and love are in each heart.  They arrive so blessed.”(45)

545           Tenth, the wise act truthfully.  Eleventh, the wise act with common sense or right reasoning.  The messengers write, “Sons of man, put on the cloak of right reason.  Seek no other way.  In this very spirit, you accept all others.  In this song is the way to God.  Truth is in right reason.  Truth and common sense in all your undertakings.  Accept no less.”(46)

  The next section in Part Two  Chapter 12 : 2/3