O Wisdom

17 December

 

O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodidisti,

attingens a fine usque ad finem,

fortiter suaviter disponensque omnia: 

veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.  

 

O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, 

reaching from one end to the other, 

ordering all things: 

Come and teach us the way of prudence. 

 

 

Photo:  The Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Ljubljana at sunset in January 2016.

 

Meditation:  One of the sad realities today is that wisdom is often ignored, dismissed, or derided in favor of quickness, a cheap shot, a snarky comment, cynicism, or an easy laugh. Wisdom is the great gift that the aged have given to all societies throughout history, along with an understanding of prudence that was hard won through trial and error.  Even those who are dying or who have developed dementia can teach and grant us wisdom, if we allow them the privilege of doing so, if we are less wrapped up in ourselves.  The desire to kill the inconveniently sick  or the demented elderly in the name of a misguided understanding  of mercy is one of the great sins of our world and of our time. It is the antithesis of wisdom, prudence, and understanding.  

 

Lagniappe:  Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by Dame Myra Hess 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGsPdEm3FfI

 

Prayer: 

Suscipe (attributed to St. Ignatius of Loyola)

 

Take Lord, and receive 

all my liberty, my memory,

my understanding, 

my entire will, 

all I have and call my own. 

You have given all to me.

To You, Lord, I return it. 

Everything is yours; do with it what you will. 

Give me only Your love and Your grace,

That is enough for me.