The Gift of Wisdom

                         The Gift of Wisdom “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom and the favor of the Lord was with him.'' Luke 2:4 (NRSV)                                            

At Confirmation, we receive the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit one of which is wisdom.  But in our challenging, modern and sometimes godless world, have we ever wondered what wisdom is and how do we activate this gift.  To answer, we must first define wisdom, second illuminate Jesus, the wisdom of the Father, and finally suggest ways to practise this virtue in the modern world.

        To begin, we must rediscover in our minds and hearts Old Testament wisdom. The secular world associates wisdom with elderly, discerning people. Such natural wisdom may be called virtue, but this perception is incomplete.  The writers of the Books of Wisdom, like Proverbs, Sirach, and Wisdom did not divide wisdom as we might today; there was only one wisdom: divine wisdom which played out in the Hebrew hearts and lives. They believed Wisdom was(is) a gift from God to help a person lead a moral, holy life. We read in Proverbs: “The fear of the Lord (reverence, awe, respect) is the beginning of wisdom, / and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (9:10). Or as biblical scholar Sr. Dianne Bergant writes of Old Testament wisdom, “The ability to perceive this order [God, creation, persons, the moral order] and to live in accord with it was wisdom” (See Study Guide on Wisdom Books in The Catholic Study Bible)NAB(199O)      

      The above notion of wisdom may seem old-fashioned with secularists, or even Catholics. The rational modern world likes to divide and analyze or even eliminate the divine. But Catholic teaching has always taught that grace builds on nature.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church says the Gifts of the Spirit perfect natural virtues (1831). Thus, we affirm wisdom is one. As Catholics we believe that full wisdom culminates in Jesus, the wisdom of the Father. But how are we to understand Jesus this way. In the Old Testament there are pointers to Jesus, the Wisdom of the Father.  In Proverbs we read: “Say to wisdom, ‘you are my sister, / and call insight, your intimate friend’” (7:4). Solomon in his famous prayer for wisdom speaks of her as a person: “For she knows and understands all things, /and she will guide me wisely in my action” (9:11). In Sirach we find Wisdom herself speaking: “Before all ages in the beginning, he created me, and through all ages I shall not cease to be” (24:9).

        In these foregoing verses wisdom, perceived as a woman because of other ancient influences (Greek), is more than a concept or moral rule; wisdom has become a person, a revelation which will progress from writers referring to the Holy Spirit to the fulfilment of wisdom in Jesus. Connecting Old Testament perception of wisdom with Jesus is far beyond this article’s scope; all we need to know is Jesus through the power of Spirit is Wisdom.  Thus St. Paul will write: “God, the Father has made Jesus our wisdom, our justice, our sanctification, and our redemption” (1Cor.1:30).

        We now know what real wisdom is, and we believe that Jesus is Wisdom. But how do we release wisdom’s power to help us in the modern world. 

         First, prompted by the Holy Spirit, we must like Solomon humbly pray for wisdom: “Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the Spirit of wisdom came to me” (Wisdom 7:7).  But we must also wait and listen in prayer like Job.  For example, Elihu, Job’s friendly defender, counsels Job: “If you have anything to say, answer me...If not, listen to me;/ be silent, and I will teach you wisdom” (33:33).  Eventually Job learns from God himself, a profound truth: God in all his majesty and power is God, and Job is a creature. Hence, Job can pray for he has been given wisdom.

       This Job-like attitude applies to the Catholic in the modern world. Instead of railing and roaring against atheistic university professors, or a son or a daughter not going to Mass, we must, like the Psalmist, first wait upon the Lord: “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him alone comes my salvation./ He alone is my rock and my salvation”(62:1-2) . One may substitute wisdom (Jesus) for “rock,” and “salvation”.  After prayerfully seeking wisdom, we might meet a professor for a coffee, and if the occasion arises, speak of faith in which the modern Catholic must be firmly entrenched.

     Second, we must prayerfully model Mary at the foot of the cross. God places her there to become our mother too. In her humble resignation and trust in her Son, for us, she epitomizes the Christ-like attitude that wisdom is inseparable from the cross considered foolish by the worldly. But as St Paul says: “...God’s foolishness [Jesus on the cross] is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength” (1Cor. 1:25). The wisdom of the cross is Jesus’ death gives us life, that is salvation. Like Mary, the wise are those who take up the cross; Jesus, the cross, and wisdom are one.  On this unity, a commentator in The Word Among Us (September 6, 1996) writes: “The mind of Christ is not so much a secret, hidden knowledge as it is the revelation of God’s love made manifest on the cross. All wisdom and knowledge flow from this love; all freedom and power come through the cross.”

     How then might we describe a Catholic with the gift of wisdom in the modern world?  Wisdom speaking in the Book of Proverbs offers an answer: “...You will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path...prudence will watch over you and understanding will guard you” (2:9-11).  Thus, wise parents in the modern world, will first seek the Wisdom of the Lord when they have to approach their children, for example, on pre-marital chastity.         

       In sum, the Gift of true Wisdom is from God.  Co-operating with the Holy Spirit, Catholics, and indeed all Christians, and even people of goodwill longing for the Holy Spirit, allow the Spirit of Wisdom to take root in silent, listening, humble, prayerful hearts.  Only then are we ready to witness and pray this prayer from Living with Christ (Novalis) for a world aching for God’s presence: “Father, keep before us the wisdom and love you have revealed in your son. Help us to be like him in word and deed. Amen.”