No worldly algorithm can outwit divine wisdom

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

WE, therefore, should be wary of our tendency to rely more on our human and worldly estimation of things. Rather, we should always choose to be guided by God’s will and ways, by his abidingly loving and merciful providence, which we should try our best to discern at every moment of our life.

To be sure, no human plan can surpass divine guidance. Divine wisdom always outsmarts worldly logic. And God’s plan for us and for the world is above all else. We need to be clear about this and do everything to live by this truth of our faith.

Especially nowadays, when we are facing an increasingly complicated world, we need to strengthen our belief in this truth, and cultivate the appropriate skills and lifestyle. We obviously should try our best to make use of whatever human knowledge we can get from our human sciences, but all this should be motivated and guided by our faith, hope and love for God and for everybody.

This is not to mention that when one is determined to follow God in the best way he can, he has to expect to contend with the most devious ways of the enemies of God and of our soul.

This was articulated, for example, in the Book of Wisdom where some ungodly people said: “Let us therefore lie in wait for the just, because he is not for our turn, and he is contrary to our doings, and upbraids us with transgressions of the law, and divulges against us the sins of our way of life.” (2,12)

But again, we should not worry too much. As long as we try our best to stick to God’s will and ways, we know that no opposition to God and to us can dominate us. What we have to worry is when we allow ourselves to be guided simply by some worldly doctrine and standards.

In this, we have been forewarned by St. Paul who said, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” (Col 2,8)

And he went further to say that we should rely solely on Christ. “For in Christ,” he said, “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.” (Col 2,9)

This is, indeed, a call for us to truly develop a strong and intimate relationship with Christ. In other words, to develop an authentic and effective spiritual life, since only then can we get some knowledge of divine wisdom and be guided by it.

In this regard, we have to acknowledge our need for a continuing formation that, at least, would cover the doctrinal, spiritual and ascetical aspects of our relation with Christ.

This is how we can aspire to acquire nothing less than the wisdom of God. We have to understand that formation involves assuming the very mind and heart of Christ, the very wisdom of God. It should lead us to center our lives on Christ’s love and to assume God’s plan with creativity and initiative.

Thus, the capacity for reflection is necessary so as to faithfully channel Christ’s love for everyone. We need to go through some philosophical and theological study of our faith, coupled with the appropriate cultural formation so we can be effective in transmitting God’s living word in the middle of the world.

This is how we can acquire the divine algorithm that would lead us to discover divine wisdom, rather than just a worldly one.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com