Proverbs that Call for Deeds

Homily for Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of sayings or, in fact, several different collections of sayings from various sources and times. They vary in depth of insight and in their religious character. Some seem quite simply worldly and practical, for example: “The plans of the diligent are sure of profit, but all rash haste leads certainly to poverty.” Some seem designed to assure our self-interests; others call us to concern for others.

The Book of Proverbs is part of the wisdom literature of the Hebrew Scriptures. It represents some of the more conservative thinking in Judaism. In today’s reading, at least two of the proverbs call us to compassion and concern for the poor. One does it indirectly by telling us that: “The soul of the wicked one desires evil; his neighbor finds no pity in his eyes.” The last proverb in today’s reading is strong on how urgent it is for our salvation that we hear the voice of the poor: “If you close your ear to the cry of the poor, you will cry out and not be heard. We hear a similar line in Psalm 34 which was set to music by John Foley, S.J., a hymn that has become somewhat popular in our communal liturgy.

Jesus is obviously aware of this proverb. The twenty-fifth chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew relates one of Jesus’ parable which reminds us that our relationship to God can be measured by our response to the poor, the suffering, and the deprived. “What you do for the least of my brethren, you do for me.” No matter how little or how much we can do about poverty, we are reminded by St. Mother Teresa that if we cannot feed one hundred people, we should start by feeding one person.

The Gospel passage from the Gospel of Saint Luke for today reminds us of one of Jesus’ proverbs. “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” Through this proverb Jesus expands our notion of family beginning with Mary, our greatest model for one who hears the word of God and acts on it. Her response to the words of the angel Gabriel is a constant reminder of what it means to accept the will of God in our lives.