I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I prefered her to scepter and throne.
Recently, my grandson, Zac, came to visit from the United Kingdom. He has dual citizenship. Our son, his dad, has lived there over half his life. Zac is 26 years old and graduated as an architect in 2018 from Thomas More University in Liverpool. We had a two week visit and was the best medicine that his grandmother and I could have had to start the new year.
One of the stories he told was when he first started with the his first job. He took over a project from someone else who had just been promoted higher up the ladder. Reviewing the documents of the former person, he noticed something strange. The computer graphics for the building that they were making an energy assessment was for a square building. However, the actual building was round. All the prior assumptions was wrong.
Everyone makes mistakes and Zac did not fault the other person. He simply corrected the mistake, told the other person and documented to his supervisors why it took extra time to complete the project.
I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison whith her, nor did I liken any priceless gem to her, because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand, and beefore her; silver is to be accounted mire. beyond health and comeliness I loved her.
Saint Thomas Aquinas was a famous Doctor of the Church and he took these Book of Wisdom passages to heart. Much like other saints that came later, he had the ability to levitate such as Saint Joseph Cupertino who lived centuries later. I have often thought the stories of saints who had this ability. The key passage from Wisdom that Saint Thomas Aquinas took to heart, was that he prayed and pleaded for wisdom. I do too. I am too heavy to levitate but I do pray for wisdom.
Let’s face it the only thing we will take with us to Heaven is Wisdom.
It seems from the words of Jesus, The greatest among you must bee your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Wisdom and humility are support for living a life of grace on earth and in Heaven.
My wife, Anna, has a family saying from he Grandfather, Thomas Dwyer, County Roscommon.
“Dignity and Piety make a man look Great. Love and humility make the man Great. “
So the message from our readings for me is to pray for Wisdom and pray for the humility to be a servant of all. Saint Thomas was one of the greatest theologians of the Church. He took the message of wisdom and humility to heart and became great by his servanthood.
Even in simple things we too must do the same to be a true disciple of Christ.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Pray for all those suffering from Cancer and their humble caregivers.
Picture Credit:“Marble Statue of Athena/Minerva, Goddess of Wisdom” by Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. is licensed under
