Chess or Checkers

Choosing to be wise rather than smart

11/07/2021

Mk 12:38-44 In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues,  and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation." He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, "Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood."

Which do you think is better: to be smart or to be wise? Or put it more personally: do you think you are smart or do you believe you are wise? Our modern culture puts a much high premium on smarts but not much value on wisdom. You will get into an Ivy League school like Harvard or Yale because you are really smart – you made all A’s on your high school report card.

On the other hand, if you are wise, you might only make C’s and D’s, but at least you will understand why you did. Smart people can answer the questions: what, where, how, and when, but only wise people can answer the question why? Google makes you feel smart; but only God will make you wise. Sadly, most people today trust Google far more than God.

Let me give you two examples of how wise people think and therefore live. Have you ever seen that “magic art” that at first looks like patterns of colors on a piece of paper? But if you stare at it long enough, a three-dimensional image appears. That is what wise people do: they stare at life long enough that they see how multi-dimensional life is. In other words, wise people perceive that life is more than what at first meets the eyes.

Have you ever hard the phrase, “He is playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers”? Chess is far more complicated – and far more fun – than the simple game of checkers. Wise people, therefore, are playing chess in life – seeing moves and possibilities and opportunities – while smart people stick to checkers. So, would you rather be wise or smart? Do you prefer to play chess or checkers?

In the gospel today, we see Jesus display a wisdom that is given by God, and far surpassing the smarts of the scribes. First our Lord criticizes the scribes who wear long robes and are respected by others for all their smarts. They were like the Ivy League professors of their day, smart as a whip. But then Jesus observes – that is, he stares for a long time – how people put money into the treasury.

Suddenly, he notices a widow – whom most people missed – and Jesus shockingly says: “This poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury.” Like that magic 3-dimensional art, Jesus saw more deeply than others, and most especially he saw into people’s souls. Jesus never went to school and earned all A’s or graduated from Harvard or Yale. But he was playing chess while everyone else was playing checkers.

Folks, let me give you three practical applications of how to think and live like Jesus today; how to be truly wise rather than simply smart. First, this is why the Catholic Church teaches both the value of marriage but also promotes priestly celibacy. I cannot count the number of times people ask me: “Fr. John, when will the Church stop forcing young men to be celibate and allow them to marry? It would solve so many problems!”

But Jesus said in Mt 22:30, “At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven.” In other words, celibacy (or better virginity) is the heavenly condition, not marriage. Marriage is only half the picture of human life; the other half is celibacy. The Church is playing chess – seeing possibilities, moves and opportunities – but the world wants us to play checkers. Why? Because people settle for being smart rather than seek wisdom.

A second example is studying scripture. The great St. Augustine, when he first tried to read and study the sacred text, said: “Back then, when I scrutinized Holy Scripture, I did not feel the way I do now when I speak of it. Instead, it seemed to me unworthy of comparison with the merit of Cicero’s writings.” He adds insightfully: “My powers of perception could not penetrate its depths” (Confessions, Bk. 3, Ch. 5).

Just like people today prefer to read the morning paper or Harry Potter, so Augustine preferred Cicero and skipped the Scriptures. Studying the Bible is like that magic 3-d art: you have to stare at the scriptures with faith and love and you begin to see its deeper dimensions. The scriptures offer us the wisdom of God, not simply smarts of professors and pundits. Reading the Bible is playing chess while reading Harry Potter is playing checkers.

The third example is earth and heaven. Where do you feel is your true home, that is, where do you spend all your time, treasure and talent: in building an earthly home or in building a heavenly home? If you are really smart and know a lot of stuff, you can have a huge home on earth. And that is not a bad thing.

But if you are wise, you might be like that poor widow who gave all she had to the temple treasury. When we put our marbles in an earthly paradise, we are merely playing checkers, living a one-dimensional life. Whereas, when we turn our eyes to heaven, we start playing chess and living a richer, multi-dimensional life. We see deeper dimensions we never thought possible.

Now, I love to play checkers, too, like those old men sitting in the park. But if you ask me to choose between being smart and being wise, I would rather be wise. I would rather be celibate than married; I would rather read Scripture than any other book; I prefer to build a home in heaven than erect one on earth. In that spiritual sense, I would rather play chess than checkers.

Praised be Jesus Christ!