Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

My soul was tormented in seeking her, 

My hand opened her gate
and I came to know her secrets.
I directed my soul to her,
and in cleanness I attained to her.

The old man Qoheleth speaks of his youth and he remembers his ardor for Wisdom. In his book, Naming the Whirlwind, Langdon Gilkey speaks of the erotic quest for knowledge. It is similar to the quest for sexual pleasure; both seek knowledge, or "wisdom." If the passion for sexual knowledge wanes in old age – and that’s debatable – the intense desire for wisdom and the pleasure of discovery should never subside.

Qoheleth clearly remembers the intense longing of his youth and, despite his disenchantment, still hopes and believes in wisdom:

Since in this way I have profited,
I will give my teacher grateful praise.

Sometimes old married couples never notice how old they are growing. They still see one another as young, beautiful and desirable. Though their hair is grey and their wrinkles almost overwhelm their features, they see through the years and remember the simplicity of their love. They belong heart and soul to one another. If there were moments when their bonds were tested, if there were days and weeks when they were disenchanted, they have forgotten those trials with the blush of renewed affection.

The passion for wisdom also should never fail. Through reflection, study and conversation we still learn. As Socrates said, The unexamined life is not worth living.

In the hospital I meet veterans who want to tell their stories, and I am there to listen. Every life, I believe, is a gospel story. It is a narrative of the Lord’s saving work. If it is not yet complete, if the resurrection has not yet blossomed, I might be there to witness it happen. Even as they speak Queen Wisdom weaves beauty into their sorrows and completes the narrative of their lives. She still lures them to know her secrets, and in cleanness they attain her.