From St. Athanasius

From a sermon by St. Athanisius:


For as the word we speak is an image of the Word who is God’s Son, so also is the wisdom implanted in us an image of the Wisdom who is God’s Son. It gives us the ability to know and understand and so makes us capable of receiving him who is all-creative Wisdom, through whom we can come to know the Father.

I have been playing with the concept of wisdom in recent days trying to understand how wisdom differs from knowledge and experience. There is clearly a difference between using the word wisdom instead of knowledge or experience. A dictionary meaning suggests that wisdom is the ability to discern what is true, right and lasting. Another one is the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience and understanding.

The consequence of the wisdom we are granted as described in the second reading is that we can come to know the Father. I observed several weeks ago in another share that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom because reverence opens up to the Holy Spirit.

A final thought is that piety or holiness is a consequence of our knowing, wanting and doing what has been communicated by the Holy Spirit. To seek wisdom is also to seek to be holy.