The book of Wisdom
Chapter 2
1. For they reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves, "Short and sorrowful is our life, and there is no remedy when a life comes to its end, and no one has been known to return from Hades.
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verse 1)
Oh God my Father during 2016 some of us are still reasoning in the same way. The popular reasoning is "Live today for tomorrow never never comes", however, when we, realize that one day we have to face the consequences of those tomorrows we will be terribly shocked that You really exist and that even Heaven and Hell exist Amen.
2. For we were born by mere chance, and hereafter we shall be as though we had never been, for the breath in our nostrils is smoke, and reason is a spark kindled by the beating of our hearts; 3. when it is extinguished, the body will turn to ashes, and the spirit will dissolve like empty air.
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verse 2 to 3)
Oh God, my Father, I thank You for creating me according to Your Holy will. Thank You for anointing me with Your Holy Spirit and making me a member of Your body. I also thank You for the gift of faith which is worth more than any precious jewel or even life itself Amen.
2. For we were born by mere chance, and hereafter we shall be as though we had never been, for the breath in our nostrils is smoke, and reason is a spark kindled by the beating of our hearts; 3. when it is extinguished, the body will turn to ashes, and the spirit will dissolve like empty air.
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verse 2 to 3)
Oh God, my Father, I thank You for creating me according to Your Holy will. Thank You for anointing me with Your Holy Spirit and making me a member of Your body. I also thank You for the gift of faith which is worth more than any precious jewel or even life itself Amen.
4. Our name will be forgotten in time and no one will remember our works: our life will pass away like the traces of a cloud, and be scattered like mist that is chased by the rays of the sun and overcome by its heat.
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verse 4 )
Oh God my Father if its fame that we are after its a useless aim, for as one person reaches one's peak one might either die soon after or be replaced by another bright star in a short period of time. Many of the so-called people who had made it big in the world ended up being very unhappy living on drugs or alcohol and their lives ended a mess even though they had reached the peak of their lives. If we reach our peak without finding or experiencing You in our lives, life remains empty because all things on earth have their meaning in You and without You, all is meaningless Amen.
5. For our allotted time is the passing of a shadow, and there is no return from our death, because it is sealed up and no one turns back.
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verse 5 )
Oh, readers of this chapter let us not waste the time that You my, God have lent us as human beings on this earth. Let us make good use of every second so that on dying we will not appear before You empty handed but with bags filled up to the brim with good deeds. Now is the time for us to change our ways for upon dying there is no return back ti earth unless God wills it Amen.
6. "Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist, and make use of the creation to the full as in youth.
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verse 6 )
Oh God my Father let us seek to be fully alive in spirit and in mind, let us be whole persons, even though our nature is prone to sin. Let us give thanks to You and live our life according to Your will and in fulfilling Your will and we will lack in nothing Amen.
7. Let us take our fill of costly wine and perfumes, and let no flower of spring pass us by. 8. Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither. 9. Let none of us fail to share in our revelry; everywhere let us leave signs of enjoyment, because this is our portion, and this our lot.
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verses 7 to 9)
Oh God my Father those who have made their choice of living today, because tomorrow never comes, live each day and night and early morning to their utmost in revelry at the cost of their own physical, moral and psychological destruction because they end up destroying themselves or becoming a burden on society who has to provide resources to help them in their needs. Oh God, my Father I pray that our lives are based on the reality that while alive we are accountable to You my God and Father and nothing that we do can ever be disregarded or avoided both the positive and even the negative Amen.
10. Let us oppress the righteous poor man; let us not spare the widow or regard the gray hairs of the aged. 11. But let our might be our law of right, for what is weak proves itself to be useless.
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verses 10 to 11)
Oh God, this is the lot of the evil spirits who stop at nothing to catch us on a wrong foot and make us commit acts that are not according to Your blessed will. However although as humans we are weak by our nature, but by our spirit, we are strong because it is based on You and in You and by You. Amen.
12. "Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us of sins against our training.
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verse 12)
Oh God, my Father the forces of evil were waiting for you day and night in order to find something on which to accuse You. You had become an inconvenience or a problem for them, and the evil one had prompted them to try to eliminate You as soon as possible. I may be in the same situation my God and Father others may see me work hard, and this may reflect badly on them and some may even consider working against me instead of giving their support. However, I am not afraid because I have You as my firewall of protection Amen.
13. He professes to have knowledge of God and calls himself a child of the Lord. 14. He became to us a reproof of our thoughts; 15. the very sight of him is a burden to us, because his manner of life is unlike that of others, and his ways are strange.
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verses 13 to 15)
Oh God my Father in the eyes of many people, especially those who do not believe in You, the messages actions and teachings that You have passed on to us are strange and unacceptable because they are contrary to the instincts and values of the world. However on the other hand, when reflecting on issues such as forgiveness, or being generous to others and giving hospitality by showing love as You recommended may make us feel guilty of not having done so. Oh God, my Father, we have a bad habit of judging anything or people that are not according to our liking or agendas as being weird or unacceptable. I pray that we stop judging according to our self, but refer to the Good News as our reference point Amen.
16. We are considered by him as something base, and he avoids our ways as unclean; he calls the last end of the righteous happy, and boasts that God is his father.
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verse 16)
Oh God my Father You always treat humans with love and kindness but You cannot stand the presence of evil and lack of faith in You. You always rebuked the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees, for they were not living according to Your will, as You will also judge us when our time comes. Oh God, my Father Your ways are so different from our sinful ways. According to the world death is a loss, but in truth, it is a loss that has a greater gain because we are freed from the world and become united with You my God and Father, What a greater gain can we obtain if we have You? Nothing!
17. Let us see if his words are true, and let us test what will happen at the end of his life; 18. for if the righteous man is God's child, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries. 19. Let us test him with insult and torture, so that we may find out how gentle he is and make trial of his forbearance. 20. Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for, according to what he says, he will be protected."
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verse 17 to 20)
Oh God, my Father many times we do the same. Many times especially during moments of crisis, we even question Your very existence. At other times we treat You as if You are a magician by reasoning that if this or that really happens You are really and truly active in our lives, when this is something that we should ever test or question, for You are always there Amen.
21. Thus they reasoned, but they were led astray, for their wickedness blinded them, 22. and they did not know the secret purposes of God, nor hoped for the wages of holiness, nor discerned the prize for blameless souls; 23. for God created us for incorruption, and made us in the image of his own eternity, 24. but through the devil's envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his company experience it.
(Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 verse 21 to 24)
Oh God my Father when we act on reason alone according to logic that may be twisted to suit our purposes, the chances of error are big, for as broken and sinful people we are not able to perceive reality as You intend it to be. We can only perceive the here and now and not what is beyond. However You created us according to Your image, therefore You have the manual governing our spiritual, psychological and even physical well being and if there is someone who knows us inside out it is You, my God and Father.
Oh God my Father, I would like to end this second chapter of the book of Wisdom with the following prayer:-
Oh God, my beloved Father, when we reason as humans we reap what is of humans, when we humbly admit that we do not have all the answers to the questions of life and humbly turn to You, Your wisdom and grace will shower us in full blast. I pray that when it comes to making decisions I refer to what is Your will instead of what I wish or what others make me believe that is the right decision in the given circumstance Amen.
