The wisdom of the holy old women to that of theologians who are far from God, was central to Pope Francis’ homily, entirely focused on the Holy Spirit and the authority he gives to those who anoints, on Tuesday, September 2nd, at the Domus Sanctae Marthae. Authority and divine wisdom are so characteristic of the true identity of every Christian that "you can have five degrees in theology, but not have the Spirit of God;" consequently, "maybe you'll be a great theologian, but you are not a Christian."
The Holy Father underlined how "often we find among our faithful, simple old women who perhaps didn’t even finish elementary school, but who can speak to us of things better than any theologian, because they have the Spirit of Christ." They’re just like St. Paul, who did not base his preaching on any academic knowledge, any "human wisdom" learned "at the Lateran or the Gregorian University."
Jesus is then more easily recognizable in the Spirit that dwells in simple and physically weak people, a Spirit capable of surprising those around them.
Ultimately, "what gives authority, what gives identity is the Holy Spirit, the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The authority of Jesus—and the authority of the Christian—comes from this ability to understand the things of the Spirit, to speak the language of the Spirit. It is from this anointing of the Holy Spirit."
