“The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.” Ps 37:30-3.
“O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all,” Ps 104:24.
“Wisdom is brilliant, she never fades. By those who love her, she is readily seen, by those who seek her, she is readily found.” Wisdom 6:12.
“Wisdom begins with the sincere desire for instruction.” Wisdom 6:17.
“The Lord himself created wisdom; he saw her and apportioned her, he poured her out upon all his works. He supplied her to those who love him.” Sirach 1:9-10.
“I sought wisdom openly in my prayer. I inclined my ear a little and received her, and I found for myself much instruction. I made progress therein; to him who gives me wisdom I will give glory. For I resolved to live according to wisdom.” Sirach 51:13-18.
“He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and strength.” Dan 2:21-22.
“To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom.” 1 Cor 12:8
“We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work.” Col 1:9-10.
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits.” James 3:17-18.
“So then, my friends, while you are waiting, do your best to live lives without spot or stain so that he will find you at peace. Think of our Lord’s patience as your opportunity to be saved; our brother Paul, who is so dear to us, told you this when he wrote to you with the wisdom that is his special gift,”
2 Peter 3: 14-15.
“The marvelous condensation of eternal wisdom is plain to be seen that we may know the ineffable loving-kindness of God and see for ourselves how far God has gone in adapting language with thoughtful concern for our nature.” Vatican II, Divine Revelation, 13.
The Holy Spirit will indicate the means of spiritual renewal to you according to the wisdom of those whom he made guardians to feed the Church of the Lord.” Pope Paul VI, 1975.
“In God, power, essence, will, intellect, wisdom and justice are all identical,” CCC 271.
“We participate, in the wisdom and goodness of the creator who gives us mastery over acts and the ability to govern with a view to the true and the good.” CCC 1954.
“More positively, growth in holiness leads to wisdom. Although many cultures revere older people for their wisdom, wisdom does not come automatically with age. The experiences of a lifetime have sown the seeds, but they must be cultivated by prayer and reflection on those experiences in light of the Gospel. With God’s grace, as one matures, one arrives at wisdom: the realization that we come from God and are going to God. The wise person is always growing, always learning. The wise person is always connecting the past with the future. Elders share their stories, and in doing so, pass on what they have learned to future generations, through both words and example. Their wisdom does not die with them but guides and enriches generations to come.” USCCB, The Blessings of Age.
Wisdom
Wisdom is a spiritual gift from God and is the result of a life lived through the sacraments and prayer.
Human wisdom reflects God’s wisdom and the sharing of God’s life and intentions with others.
Wisdom includes education, reflection and maturity in faith. Personal holiness is the root of wisdom and comes from a lifetime of faith, prayer and openness to the dictates of the Holy Spirit. Wisdom is a life long learning experience as well as a willingness to share the faith with others.
Questions to share
- Which passage touches you or burns in your heart the most? Why?
- How have you exercised this gift in the past?
- How are you now exercising this gift in ministry?
- Do you see new ways you can exercise this ministry in the future?