A little bit of St Michael’s Lent. I did it last year and I am going to do it again this year.

Brothers, welcome to Exodus 90.
St. Michael’s Lent begins in one week. We are using this time to prepare to enter into this holy season, focused on imitating the fidelity of St. Michael and St. Francis’s devotion to him. Our theme this year is “Stand Firm,” drawing upon the Prophet Daniel’s fidelity in exile. In this final week of preparation, we are reflecting upon standing firm in passages throughout the Bible. Today, we explore the role of wisdom in guiding us to remain fixed in the Lord.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God. Root yourself in the Lord’s righteousness so you can remain firm. Take one minute of silence now, praying for God’s blessing on you, your family, fraternity, and all Exodus men.
O Lord, help us in all things to rely upon Your holy will. Bless our dealings with all who surround us. Teach us to treat all that shall come to us throughout the day with peace of soul, and with the firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all our deeds and words, guide our thoughts and feelings. In unforeseen events, let us not forget that all are sent by You. Teach us to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give us the strength to bear the fatigue of the day, with all that it shall bring. Direct our wills. Teach us to pray. Pray within us. Amen.

A Reading from the Book of Proverbs
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates reproof is stupid.
A good man obtains favor from the Lord,
but a man of evil devices he condemns.
A man is not established by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
A good wife is the crown of her husband,
but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
The thoughts of the righteous are just;
the counsels of the wicked are treacherous.
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the mouth of the upright delivers men.
The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
but the house of the righteous will stand.
A man is commended according to his good sense,
but one of perverse mind is despised.
Better is a man of humble standing who works for himself
than one who plays the great man but lacks bread.
A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast,
but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows worthless pursuits has no sense.
The strong tower of the wicked comes to ruin,
but the root of the righteous stands firm.
An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
but the righteous escapes from trouble.
From the fruit of his words a man is satisfied with good,
and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.

Reflection
This world is a place of trial. We might long for this long trial to be lifted from us, but part of its difficulty involves endurance until the end. We might think that in order to stand firm in the face of a lifelong trial that seeks to undermine our faith and virtue, we simply need to be strong. The problem, however, is that eventually a difficulty will arise that will be too strong for us to endure. Because we are journeying to heaven, a place beyond our own reach, we cannot make it without help from above. More than strength, therefore, we need to be infused with God’s own wisdom in order to navigate the difficulties of the journey.
Wisdom literature consistently contrasts the fool and the wise man as alternatives placed before us. The fool is called wicked because he has no thought for the God who created him and for his neighbor whom he should love as himself. He is blown around like the wind, following his own desires and the ways of the world. He wobbles and is unsteady underneath the pressures of the world. This world is one of change, and if we are not fixed in anything that transcends it, we will remain stuck in endless change, moving from one to the next in an unending search for fulfillment and peace.
The wise man, on the other hand, stands firm because he is rooted in the world beyond. God does not change, and our faith fixes us in his mind and will, and they endure forever. Unlike the fool whose vision is contracted within himself, the wise man’s vision is expansive, reaching up to heaven and across the earth below, which he views with the eyes of God as a means of offering love and service.
The wise man doesn’t take the Lord’s grace for granted. Exercising prudence, he undertakes difficult work to provide for his family and to discipline himself. While there is no standing firm on one’s own, the wise man knows he must act upon the grace received and guard it so that it does not slip away. Only a fool would receive an infinite grace while remaining preoccupied with passing things, letting his attention be drawn away. The wise and prudent man carefully tills what is under his care and then prunes it so that it continues to produce in abundance, fruit that will last in times of adversity.
Within Exodus 90, we embrace discipline to cultivate a wisdom that looks beyond immediate gratification. This prudence is more than mere self-control because it focuses on coming to know the Lord more deeply. Pray about anything in your life that distracts you from pursuing true wisdom, and that may need pruning. Let’s be willing to embrace the pain that may come with this difficult task of uprooting worldly ways and putting on the mind of Christ, the only source of true wisdom.

Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, may your continual blessing sanctify us, and grant us through the intercession of St. Michael the wisdom that teaches us to lay up our treasure in heaven and choose eternal goods over those of this world. You who live and reign forever. Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.