APRE’s Note: I was particularly pleased with my speech night reflection. I used a film at the
beginning a time lapse sky footage with a new version of Blowin in the Wind from the Like A
version CD Vol 8 in the introduction with students holding up words on paper for the chorus
and a student ‘dropping’ the words in an art sketch book for all the versus. All of the yellow
text was PowerPointed for audience to read as I went. It worked well with our theme of
Wisdom, I may have been aiming high but it was what I needed to say on the topic.
Understanding Wisdom
Sow Nurture Grow Wisdom.
Tonights prayer on understanding words of wisdom will begin with
the words and music of Bob Dylan, Blowin in the Wind. I ask that we
make the sign of the cross together as we begin our prayer tonight.
In the name of the Father and the son..
FILM: ‘BOB’ dropping lyrics , powerpoint in the background
Before we continue, a thank you to my helpers for this evening…
There is such grand imagery in the simplicity of the lyrics to this song.
The words of Bob Dylan had a great impact as an anthem for the Civil
Rights Movement of the 1960’s
and today it continues to
challenge us to examine our conscience … it asks the questions,
and reminds us that we, contemporary men and women,
have not answered them.
 How many roads does a man walk down, before we call him a
man?
 How many years can a mountain exist before it is washed to
the sea?
 How many ears must one man have before he can hear people
cry?
When do we know that we are a fully realised man or woman
do we celebrate this in a life affirming way?
Do we see naturedo we connect with the ongoing journey of
God’s creation and know
that it has a cycle of beginning and
ending?
Do we listen, so we can help?
The song speaks of truth for all of
us,
why do we have war, cruelty and hate
and will that
ever change?
We were
given freedom and free will
through the Grace
of God but with a level of responsibility.
That free will
does not come without burdens.
Freedom is not easy.
Those involved in the Civil Rights movement were well aware of
freedom’s value and its risks.
How do we make changes? Well one way is to learn to live wisely.
Learn to not only know and understand, but to live in a way which is
rewarding to others,
and ourselves,
to accomplish that fraction of success that will move humanity to a
better place; one where we see the answers not gain possessions.
Every year of life is a journey of
seeking and finding answers, and then seeking again. A journey to
wise living has to always be about seeking.
To become wise
we have to seek wisdom born of
experience from others
who have gone before.
We have to listen
to wise people –
those who
have tried to explain the universe and our role in it. Kevin Treston
states that,
“The growth of an individual into wisdom is a slow imperceptible
movement that results from years of advice and experiences to
become a habit.
Wise people reflect on their experiences and learn from them.
Less wise people blunder through life and never seem to learn
anything from the experience.
Failure and mistakes for wise people are opportunities to do things
differently- not millstones around their necks.
When he defines Wisdom he speaks in terms of:
Wisdom is an inner conscious process of making connections that are
life enhancing.
Wisdom is a deeper way of knowing wisdom is the art of living in
rhythm with your soul, your life and the Divine.
I’ll repeat that… wisdom is the art of living in rhythm with your soul,
your life and the Divine
The great thing for us all is:
Every person has the capacity to grow in wisdom. Although we are
not born with wisdom we have the potential for thinking, speaking
and acting wisely.
I was engaged in the point made by Treston that over time, a
western view of wisdom and understanding has changed:
In the past wisdom obtained through life long study,
conversations,
listening,
prayer,
reflection,
relationships and being open to the excitement of discovery
was integrated in community and developed roles where old age was
not a burden,
but a time of wisdom.
The idea that the sage or wise person was revered and sought out for
advice has altered somewhat in reaction to our contemporary
cultures fascination with youth, and anxiety about growing old.
The financial crisis was a result of our worship of money, having it all,
having it now and not necessarily building in stages to earn things
through sacrifice – live now, have everything new- be old later.
Any question we want answered we can find in google, or ask jeeves
or what if or in the Wikipedia. The web has become a truth teller.
But does it give us truth and wisdom from experience?
Are we equipped to take lessons or just knowledge from the answers
we get from the collective web of information?
Do we need our answers shaped in the context of understanding
cause and effect that comes with the stories from our elders and
their living wisdom?
Our bible is the words of wise people from our Judeo- Christian
heritage written down for safe keeping. All stories come from a
tradition of story telling, around camp fires, and dinner tables and
community gatherings
where the wise spoke
to engage
the listener in understanding
how to live wisely for their
God, their community and themselves. The sages of old are on every
page, and they still have a message for us.
Have we lost a sense of the Sacred?
Has popular culture placed the pursuit of finding and using
information at the cost of attaining wisdom, out of an experience
with the sacred.
The creation stories teach us:
the beauty of creation – Genesis 1:17 “He placed the lights in the sky
to shine on the earth to rule over the day and night, and to separate
light from darkness. And God was pleased with what he saw.
How many times can a man look up before he sees the sky?
the bible teaches us about the role of stewardship we must play on
this earth.
We are challenged throughout the Bible to learn that when we make
decisions there are consequences for our choices, consequences for
us, our family, community, our world and our relationship with God.
How many times can a man turn his head and pretend he doesn’t
see?
Treston summarizes the vision for us in the Gospel stories
New Testament as guiding us,
of the
“to find the hopeful vision of Jesus in his proclamation of the reign of
God.
This proclamation encourages the followers of Christ to be proactive
citizens for a better world.
Discernment (within the wise) begins with visions and dreams for
what might be and that is the message of the kingdom on earth and
in heaven.
Johns Gospel, “I came that they may have life and live it abundantly.”
The global ecological issues that face our planet are as much about
our relationship with God, as our stewardship for our planet and the
responsibility we have for the quality of life for humanity now and
into the future.
A wise person knows that this is not a statement
to take all that you can.
But to live a life of value that respects
our God and creation,
to acquire knowledge and wisdom,
while nurturing within us a level of spirituality
that
demands
respect of the individual and the community we live in.
Bible Wisdom has changed as it has developed over time to reflect
the current wisdom of the faithful and their relationship with God.
The rich teachings address all areas of life, through a variety of
styles to give humanity the understanding that we should teach
ourselves how to live and act wisely.
The Wisdom of the sacred inspirational story of Jesus the Christ,
Man,
Messiah, Prophet, Servant, disciple and friend is
for all of us today.
Within all of these stories are central truths that offer us an
opportunity to live wisely, ethically, morally, compassionately,
heroically and humbly.
The scriptures continue to provide valuable wisdom that can inform
our future leaders. Yes, the Bible is often paradoxical, but it
contains what we need for wise living.
It is full of love and
wisdom.
And what great change can happen without love?
This room is full of our future.
The sages of our future literally are
in these seats in front of me, and a few backstage as well.
I truly hope that your time at Assumption College has helped shape
a vision for the future,
that you will all do something big or small
but do it well and whole heartedly and live wisely.
Before we watch a film of the year that was
at Assumption
College and celebrate the amazing grace and wisdom given to us by
God,
we will conclude with a prayer that has helped shape the
vision of Assumption College and its future: (PUT ONTO
POWERPOINT)
ARCHBISHOP OSCAR ROMERO
PRAYER: A STEP ALONG THE WAY
It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our
vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent
enterprise that is God's work. Nothing we do is complete, which is a
way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the Church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future
promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in
realizing that.
This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an
opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between
the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
The words of Oscar Romero places what seems big into perspective
and makes the little things more important
how will we create a
positive legacy that will become the future that is not our own?
May we think of the words of Oscar Romero, often in our daily lives.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow…
let us grow wise and free.
Amen.
Sign of the Cross.
"Blowin' In The Wind"
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
Yes, how many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
Yes, how many times must a man look up
Before he can really see the sky?
Yes, how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.