The author of Wisdom is rather hard on people. He feels strongly that people should be able to seek, find, and experience God through nature and the created order. The beauty and grandeur of God is reflected in creation although in a lesser and imperfect way. But it's not surprising that there are many who see no connection between creation and God, or who even deny that God exists. Our experience of nature has become so limited! Cities of concrete and steel can be like prisons, and the people in them rush about at a frantic pace that prevents any sort of reflection or contemplation.

The passage of today from Luke is not exactly cheerful or encouraging. It is filled with warnings to be prepared for destruction and not to be fooled by how normal and peaceful everything seems to be. It calls to mind the destructive events of Genesis such as the flood and ends with a warning that it will be the same when Jesus returns for the final judgment. We should keep in mind that ancient people interpreted natural disasters as punishment from God. Science has helped us to have a different understanding of these events today. We also understand God differently: this is not how God treats us and we should not use God as something to frighten people into behaving. Just the same, we should not be lulled to sleep spiritually, but treat each day as a precious gift and be constantly prepared to meet God. There is nothing to fear except wasted opportunities for spiritual growth and service to others.