Sirach Ch 19:20-24; 20:27-31; 21:15-17; 24:1-34(Second Tuesday of Lent)
The whole of wisdom is fear of the Lord, and in all wisdom there is the fulfilment of the law.
The knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom, nor is there prudence in the counsel of sinners.
There is a cleverness that is detestable, and there is a fool who merely lacks wisdom.
Better are the God-fearing who lack understanding than the highly intelligent who transgress the law.
The wise person advances himself by his words, and one who is sensible pleases the great.
Those who cultivate the soil heap up their harvest, and those who please the great atone for injustice.
Favours and gifts blind the eyes of the wise; like a muzzle on the mouth they stop reproofs.
Hidden wisdom and unseen treasure, of what value is either?
Better are those who hide their folly than those who hide their wisdom.
When an intelligent person hears a wise saying, he praises it and adds to it;
when a fool hears it, he laughs at it and throws it behind his back.
A fool’s chatter is like a burden on a journey, but delight is found in the speech of the intelligent.
The utterance of a sensible person is sought in the assembly, and they ponder his words in their minds.
Wisdom praises herself, and tells of her glory in the midst of her people. In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth, and in the presence of his hosts she tells of her glory: ‘I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a mist. I dwelt in the highest heavens, and my throne was in a pillar of cloud. Alone I compassed the vault of heaven and traversed the depths of the abyss. Over waves of the sea, over all the earth, and over every people and nation I have held sway. Among all these I sought a resting-place; in whose territory should I abide?
‘Then the Creator of all things gave me a command, and my Creator chose the place for my tent. He said, “Make your dwelling in Jacob, and in Israel receive your inheritance.” Before the ages, in the beginning, he created me, and for all the ages I shall not cease to be. In the holy tent I ministered before him, and so I was established in Zion. Thus in the beloved city he gave me a resting-place, and in Jerusalem was my domain. I took root in an honoured people, in the portion of the Lord, his heritage.
‘I grew tall like a cedar in Lebanon, and like a cypress on the heights of Hermon. I grew tall like a palm tree in En-gedi, and like rose-bushes in Jericho; like a fair olive tree in the field, and like a plane tree beside water I grew tall. Like cassia and camel’s thorn I gave forth perfume, and like choice myrrh I spread my fragrance, like galbanum, onycha, and stacte, and like the odour of incense in the tent. Like a terebinth I spread out my branches, and my branches are glorious and graceful. Like the vine I bud forth delights, and my blossoms become glorious and abundant fruit.
‘Come to me, you who desire me, and eat your fill of my fruits. For the memory of me is sweeter than honey, and the possession of me sweeter than the honeycomb. Those who eat of me will hunger for more, and those who drink of me will thirst for more. Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame, and those who work with me will not sin.’
All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God, the law that Moses commanded us as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob. It overflows, like the Pishon, with wisdom, and like the Tigris at the time of the first fruits. It runs over, like the Euphrates, with understanding, and like the Jordan at harvest time. It pours forth instruction like the Nile, like the Gihon at the time of vintage. The first man did not know wisdom fully, nor will the last one fathom her. For her thoughts are more abundant than the sea, and her counsel deeper than the great abyss.
As for me, I was like a canal from a river, like a water channel into a garden. I said, ‘I will water my garden and drench my flower-beds.’ And lo, my canal became a river, and my river a sea. I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn, and I will make it clear from far away. I will again pour out teaching like prophecy, and leave it to all future generations. Observe that I have not laboured for myself alone, but for all who seek wisdom.
Commentary
Why is it that Scripture hardly ever mentions wisdom, except to point out that it has been either begotten or made by God? That is to say, it was begotten, through which all things were made; but it was created or made, as in men, when they turn to and are enlightened by that wisdom, which was not created or made but begotten. Then something is brought about in them which may be called their wisdom, which the Scriptures foretell and describe when they say: The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. For Christ became our wisdom in this way when he became man. Is it for this reason, then, that wisdom does not speak in those books, or say anything about itself, except to show that it was born or made by God, although the Father himself is also wisdom, because wisdom was to be commended to and indicated by us, since we ourselves were to be formed by imitating it? The Son, who is wisdom, is from the Father, who is wisdom, light from light and God from God. And the Father singly is light and the Son singly is light; the Father singly is God and the Son singly is God. Consequently, the Father singly is wisdom and the Son singly is wisdom. And as both together are one light and one God, so both together are one wisdom. But the Son has been made for us wisdom from God, and justice and sanctification, because we turn ourselves to him temporally, that is, from some particular time, in order to remain with him eternally. For he himself at a certain moment of time was the Word made flesh that dwelt among us. Therefore, when anything concerning wisdom is said or recorded in the Scriptures, whether wisdom itself speaks or anything is said of it, then the Son is particularly meant. And with the example of this image before us, let us also not depart from God. For we are, likewise, the image of God, not indeed an equal image, since it was made by the Father through the Son, not born of the Father as that is. And we are so, because we are enlightened by the light, but he is the light that enlightens. And, therefore, this image is an example for us without itself having an example. For he does not imitate anyone who comes before him in respect to the Father, from whom he is wholly inseparable, since he has the same essence with him from whom he is. But by our striving we imitate him who remains and follow him who stands; when we walk in him, we tend towards him, because by his humility he has been made a road for us in time, in order that by his divinity he might be for us a mansion in eternity.(St. Augustine of Hippo)
Musical Selection
I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,
and covered the earth like a mist.
I dwelt in high places,
and my throne is in a pillar of cloud.
Alone I compassed the circuit of heaven
and walked the depths of the abyss.
In the waves of the sea and in all the earth,
and over every people and nation I got a possession.
With all these I sought rest.
And I took root in a people that was glorified,
in the portion of the Lord's own inheritance.
I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus,
and as a cypress on the mountains of Hermon.
I was exalted like a palm tree on the sea shore,
and as a fair olive tree in the plain.
And my branches are branches of glory and grace,
and my flowers are the fruit of glory and riches.
Come unto me, ye that are desirous of me,
and ye be filled with my fruits.
For my thoughts are filled from the sea,
and my counsels from the great deep.
And I came out as a stream from a river
I said, I will water my garden
and will water abundantly my garden-beds.
And lo, my stream became a river,
and my river became a sea.
Collect
Watch over your Church, Lord God, with unfailing mercy, and since without you humankind will surely fall, protect us by your grace from every harm and guide us toward those things that work for our good. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.