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Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest
Proverbs 30:5–9
Today we hear a short passage from the Book of Proverbs.
It comes from Agur, son of Jakeh.
The name Agur can mean:
I am a sojourner.
That is already a beautiful beginning.
We are all sojourners.
We are travelers on this earth.
We are not yet home.
Our true homeland is the heavenly Jerusalem.
And every traveler needs guidance.
Every traveler needs light.
Every traveler needs a trustworthy word.
Agur says:
Every word of God is true.
When we hear “the word of God,”
we first think of the Bible.
And rightly so.
In the Scriptures, God speaks to us.
He speaks through the prophets,
the psalms,
the wisdom of Israel,
the Gospel,
and the apostles.
But for Christians, the Word of God is even more than a book.
The Word of God is Jesus Christ.
Saint John says:
In the beginning was the Word.
And the Word became flesh.
God spoke to us most fully in His Son.
So if we want truth, we must come to Christ.
This matters today.
We live in a world full of voices.
News.
Opinions.
Arguments.
Promises.
Lies.
Half-truths.
Noise.
Many words try to guide us.
Many words try to use us.
Many words try to confuse us.
But Agur reminds us:
God’s word is true.
Christ is the Truth.
So his first prayer is simple:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me.
That is a prayer we also need.
Lord, protect me from lies.
Protect me from lying.
Protect me from self-deception.
Protect me from the false words that lead me away from You.
Then Agur prays for something else:
Give me neither poverty nor riches.
This is a wise prayer.
He does not ask to be rich.
He does not romanticize poverty.
He asks for enough.
Enough to live.
Enough to remain faithful.
Enough not to forget God.
He knows the danger of riches.
A person can become full and say:
Who is the Lord?
I do not need Him.
But he also knows the danger of poverty.
A person can become desperate,
steal,
and dishonor the name of God.
So Agur asks for the middle way.
Not greed.
Not misery.
But daily bread.
A simple life.
A truthful heart.
A faithful journey.
Today, with Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, we can ask for the same grace:
to trust God’s word,
to reject falsehood,
to live simply,
and to walk as sojourners toward our true home.
Biblical Reflections on the Gospel of Matthew
Scripture Attribution
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition,
copyright © 1989, 1993
the Division of Christian Education of the National Council
of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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© 2025 Krakus.
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