In Wisdom is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, Manifold, subtle, agile, clear, unstained, certain, Not baneful, loving the good, keen, unhampered, beneficent, kindly, Firm, secure, tranquil, all-powerful, all-seeing, And pervading all spirits, though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle. For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion, and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.
For she is an aura of the might of God and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nought that is sullied enters into her. For she is the refulgence of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness. And she, who is one, can do all things, and renews everything while herself perduring; And passing into holy souls from age to age, she produces friends of God and prophets. For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom. For she is fairer than the sun and surpasses every constellation of the stars. Compared to light, she takes precedence; for that, indeed, night supplants, but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom. Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily and governs all things well.
If you could ask God to give you any gift whatsoever, what would it be? Would you like to be able to drive a Nascar like Dale Earnhart, Jr.? Maybe you’d want movie-star good-looks like Matt Damon or Julia Roberts? Perhaps you'd like to be a brilliant astrophysicist like Stephen Hawkins or play basketball like Lebron James or baseball like Adam Wainright? Or, maybe you’d just like to be super-rich like Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, who donated $32 billion to charity in July. By the way, does anyone know him? Maybe you could ask him to give a small $1 million gift to Immaculate Conception School? He wouldn’t even miss it! You see, all these abilities and achievements, talents and treasures are really gifts from God. Nothing is truly our own.
In the first reading today we see a strong case for an even better gift, that is, wisdom. Wisdom is one of my favorite books of the Bible. We read there: “In wisdom is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, agile, clear, unstained, certain, not baneful, loving the good, keen, unhampered, beneficent, kindly, firm, secure, tranquil, all-powerful, all-seeing, and pervading all spirits.” And the reading concludes, “Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily, and governs all things well.” Wow, not a bad gift! And wisdom is so precious that not even Prince Alwaleed with all his billions could buy such a gift. In other words, God gives each person a unique gift, and they are non-transferable, like airline tickets.
One of the joys of working at Trinity Junior High is watching our students begin to discover the precious gifts God has given them. Some excel in sports, others find a calling in drama – I’m talking about drama like Shakespeare! – still others are whizzes in Quiz Bowl or math or science. But my daily prayer is that they will also ask God for the gift of wisdom. Why? Well, because all gifts are great, but wisdom is, in a sense, the ultimate gift, because it not only helps you appreciate all other gifts, but it even helps you know and love the Gift-Giver, namely, God. You cannot buy wisdom and you cannot sell wisdom. It is a gift given free by God. Maybe that’s what you should ask for this Christmas.
Praised be Jesus Christ!
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